HVAC Tech Tip: Put the Service Back in Service

In our increasingly commodity-driven industry, differentiating your business from that of your competitors can be a real challenge, particularly when you’re selling a service. A great place to start is to ensure the customer’s connected thermostat is configured and programmed appropriately.

As you know, if an occupant has access to their thermostat schedule or setpoints it’s likely that they’ve been changed since installation. These changes can contribute to energy waste by over-conditioning the space or conditioning it when it is unoccupied. Your customer may end up feeling dissatisfied with the product (and you) if they don’t see the promised energy savings.

When checking in on these two items, here are other settings you can verify:

• Unoccupied setbacks are in effect and accurate.
• Occupancy overrides are set to revert to original scheduling after no more than three hours.
• Fan goes to auto during unoccupied mode (for equipment with multi-speed fans).
• If the stat is controlling a heat pump, check that auxiliary electric heat lockout is enabled and set at a reasonably cold outdoor air temperature.

Taking the extra time to walk through these settings with your customer can make a real difference, not only to their bottom line but also to their perception of you and your company. Starting October 1, 2019, your customer may also be eligible for $50 from their local utility for verifying programming set points. For more tips and information on ways to show added value to your customers, please browse our Training & Resources section or contact your regional field specialist.