Boosting Your HVAC Business With Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Solutions
Indoor air quality (IAQ) has been gaining a lot of attention in recent years, especially as the severity of wildfire season continues to worsen across North America year after year.
As HVAC contractors, offering IAQ solutions as a standard service isn’t just an emerging opportunity to set your business apart from others in a competitive market—it’s a necessity.
In this article, we’ll explore how integrating IAQ solutions to your slate of services can benefit your clients and your bottom line.
A problem on the rise: IAQ and wildfire season
Wildfires seem to be getting worse year after year, which is increasing the number of impacted homes and businesses at a significant rate.
The smoke produced by wildfires contains small particles and gases, including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds. These gases and fine particulates can infiltrate homes and businesses, causing a significant decline in indoor air quality.
This kind of pollution can create serious health issues. At its most serious, fine particulate matter in wildfire smoke penetrates deeply into the lungs, exacerbating respiratory conditions like asthma and bronchitis, and increasing the risk of heart attacks and stroke.
The opportunity: Integrating IAQ solutions
Offering IAQ solutions as an HVAC contractor is an obvious opportunity. The awareness of IAQ issues among homeowners and business owners is growing, leading to a greater willingness to invest in solutions.
When you’re in a customer’s home quoting them on a project, IAQ is a natural add-on. If you’re quoting on a heat pump install, for instance, you can offer air filtration as an upsell. This can help increase your revenue with every truck roll.
By integrating IAQ solutions into your HVAC offerings, you’re able to provide a more comprehensive total comfort solution. This approach can enhance customer satisfaction, encourage repeat business, and promote referrals—all of which can contribute to your business growth.
Several IAQ technologies can significantly reduce indoor pollutants, such as:
- Air purifiers: These devices filter the air in a single room, removing particulates, allergens, and toxins. Some even have smart features, providing real-time air quality feedback.
- Dehumidifiers and humidifiers: These tools help maintain an optimal humidity level, reducing the growth of mold and other allergens.
- UV lamps: Installed in HVAC systems, these lamps can kill airborne bacteria, viruses, and mold spores.
- HEPA filters: These high-efficiency filters can trap 99.97% of particles that are 0.3 microns in size, including PM2.5 from wildfire smoke.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach for IAQ. The right solutions vary based on building conditions, the local climate, and individual health needs. Being well-versed in a range of IAQ solutions is essential for you and your team to swiftly adapt to changing needs and circumstances.
Making the case to customers
In order to successfully add IAQ solutions to your slate of services, you and your team have to be adept at selling them to your clients—whether they’re individual homeowners or property managers of commercial real estate buildings.
Here are a few topics and sub-topics to focus your conversations with clients:
Highlight the health benefits
This might seem obvious, but the primary benefit of improving IAQ in a home or business is the creation of a healthier space. Explain how fine particulate matter in the air—especially from wildfire smoke—can worsen respiratory conditions like asthma, and even cause more severe long-term health risks like heart attacks and strokes.
During your conversation, be sure to explain how IAQ solutions can mitigate these risks and improve health conditions. For example, how HEPA filters can remove up to 99.97% of dust, pollen, mold, and bacteria from the air.
Explain the long-term cost savings
This topic can be especially relevant to business owners and leaders, but even some homeowners will take note. Improving IAQ and creating healthier spaces helps minimize the occurrence of respiratory illnesses, allergies, and other health conditions. That means reducing healthcare costs and time off from work.
Share case studies if you can
As you build up your track record offering IAQ solutions, sharing relatable case studies can also be powerful. For instance, if you can tell a story about a client who saw a noticeable reduction in asthma attacks after your team installed IAQ equipment. Or if you can share how a business saw a noticeable drop in employee sick days from one year to the next.
Sharing real stories like these can make it easier to see and understand the benefits of IAQ solutions.
Best practices for implementing IAQ solutions in your HVAC business
Incorporating IAQ solutions into your standard HVAC services doesn’t have to be complicated. Start with an IAQ assessment during routine service calls. Discuss your findings with homeowners and suggest appropriate solutions. Ensure regular maintenance and upgrades are part of your service packages. Additionally, when you’re quoting customer’s on a heat pump or AC install, offer IAQ options at the same time.
Moreover, investing in team training on IAQ solutions ensures your crew is well-versed in the latest technologies and their benefits. Not only will this provide better service to your customers, but it also presents your company as a leader in the field.
In conclusion, providing IAQ solutions is more than a business opportunity; it’s a responsibility to protect the health of the families you serve, especially during wildfire season. Take the first step today and make IAQ solutions an integral part of your HVAC services.
