HVAC School - For Techs, By Techs

Training the refrigeration technician is about building technicians who think, not just fix. In this engaging conversation from the 7th Annual HVAC/R Training Symposium, host Trevor Matthews sits down with Billy Carlson to explore what it really takes to develop technicians who think critically and troubleshoot effectively.
Billy shares his journey in the HVAC/R industry, from residential air conditioning to commercial refrigeration, and ultimately specializing in supermarket rack systems and CO2 refrigeration. With only five years in the grocery sector, his company now dedicates 70-80% of its work to refrigeration, with 40% focused on rack systems. This rapid transition offers valuable insights for contractors looking to expand into commercial refrigeration.
Key Topics Covered:
Building Technicians, Not Just Fixers - Why understanding component flow, P&IDs, and electrical diagrams is crucial for developing thinking technicians rather than parts changers
CO2 Refrigeration Training - Billy's honest account of learning CO2 systems, including challenges with dry ice formation, charging procedures, and system tuning
Supermarket Rack Work - The unique pressures and rewards of maintaining systems that hold entire stores, including HFC and CO2 racks with multiple compressors
Effective Training Methods - Billy's approach to teaching his five-person team, from component identification to reading refrigeration schedules and understanding sequence of operations
Fine-Tuning Systems - Insights on slowing down ramp rates, adjusting flash tank pressure, and the importance of proper startup commissioning time
Controls & Communications - Why modern refrigeration technicians need to understand networking, gateways, and digital controls alongside traditional refrigeration knowledge
Billy emphasizes that patience and willingness to ask for help are essential traits for anyone entering supermarket refrigeration. He shares practical tips on charging CO2 systems, avoiding dry ice in lines, working with VFDs, and reading trend graphs to optimize system performance.
Whether you're a residential tech considering commercial refrigeration, a trainer developing curriculum, or a service manager building a team, this conversation offers real-world wisdom on creating technicians who understand the "why" behind every repair.
 
Check out Refrigeration Mentor at https://refrigerationmentor.com/.  
Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool.
Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium.
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Check out our handy calculators here or on the HVAC School Mobile App for Apple and Android.

In this special collaborative episode between the Building HVAC Science Podcast and HVAC School, host Bryan Orr sits down with his father and co-founder Robert Orr (Kalos) and Bill and Billy Spohn, the father-son duo behind TruTech Tools, for an in-depth conversation about the realities of running, transitioning, and ultimately passing the torch in a family-owned business. What makes this episode particularly compelling is that both pairs are actively living through their own succession journeys in real time, offering listeners an unusually candid and personal look at the emotional, structural, and cultural dimensions of handing off a business you helped build from the ground up.
The conversation begins with each participant sharing where they stand today. Bill Spohn Sr. is transitioning into semi-retirement as CEO and co-owner of TruTech Tools, which has tripled in revenue since his son Billy joined the company in 2018. Billy Spohn has stepped into the role of President and co-owner, focusing on working on the business rather than in it. Robert Orr, co-founder of Kalos alongside Bryan, has similarly stepped back after a formalized three-year succession plan, with Bryan now holding majority ownership and day-to-day control. Together, these four men represent two different approaches to the same deeply human challenge: what does it really mean to let go of something you built, and how do you do it in a way that honors both the past and the future?
A major theme throughout the episode is the emotional weight of identity and transition that founders and long-time leaders rarely talk about openly. Both Bill Spohn Sr. and Robert Orr reflect candidly on how much of their personal identity has been wrapped up in their respective companies, and how surprising it has been to grapple with the shift from decision-maker to advisor. Robert speaks movingly about health challenges, including having suffered strokes, that accelerated his thinking about succession and mortality. The group explores how no amount of business planning fully prepares you for the emotional reality of stepping back, and yet both men express genuine peace and gratitude for how their transitions have unfolded. The honesty in these reflections is rare and refreshing, especially in business media that often skips the messy human middle.
The discussion also digs deeply into the operational and cultural infrastructure that makes a successful handoff possible. TruTech Tools implemented the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) starting in 2022, a framework that Billy says was one of the greatest gifts his father could have given him before assuming leadership. EOS brought role clarity, accountability structures, and regular team rhythms that transformed how the company functions. Bryan and Robert took a more organic approach at Kalos, leaning on trust, a shared value system, and clearly defined responsibilities that evolved over years of working side by side. Both companies emphasize that clarity and accountability are non-negotiable, regardless of company size, and that culture is not a poster on the wall but a reflection of how leaders actually behave when things get hard.
The episode closes with practical advice for other family business owners navigating similar journeys. Key takeaways include starting the conversation early, building an advisory board outside the company, making public commitments to accountability, investing in business reading and peer groups, holding regular family meetings so that everyone understands the plan, and above all, prioritizing emotional health and the ability to have hard conversations before they become festering resentments. Bryan offers a memorable point: intelligence gets beaten by emotional regulation and patience every day. The group is unanimous that succession planning is not a single event but a thousand small handoffs, and the best time to start preparing is well before you feel ready.
Topics Covered
Introductions: Bryan Orr (Kalos), Robert Orr (Kalos co-founder), Bill Spohn Sr. (TruTech Tools CEO), and Billy Spohn (TruTech Tools President)
TruTech Tools 3x revenue growth since Billy joined in 2018
The emotional side of letting go: identity shifts, loss of relevance, and the unexpected grief of stepping back from a business you built
Moving from decision-maker to advisor: how both Bill Sr. and Robert are navigating this transition
Legacy vs. transactional business: building to keep versus building to sell, and the stewardship mindset
The baton handoff metaphor: why succession is a thousand small transitions, not one dramatic moment
Robert Orr on health challenges (strokes) that accelerated his thinking about succession planning
EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) at TruTech Tools: what it is, how it was implemented over two years starting in 2022, and why Billy credits it as the single biggest gift for his leadership journey
Role clarity and accountability charts versus traditional org charts
Quarterly employee check-ins as an alternative to annual reviews
How Kalos grew organically without a formal EOS framework, and the value of building structure around trust and shared values
GWC framework from EOS: Gets it, Wants it, Capacity to do it
Kalos hitting 400+ employees and the challenges that come with scale
Culture preservation through succession: how core values survive a leadership change
Faith-based principles in business culture: loving your neighbor, leading with grace, clarity as kindness
The concept of stewardship: feeling responsible for a business rather than simply owning it
Separate job descriptions for CEO vs. President at TruTech Tools and why it mattered for the whole team
Bryan on having five family members working at Kalos and maintaining clear boundaries between family and professional roles
Advice for family businesses: start early, overcommunicate, make public commitments, seek outside advisors
Building a small advisory board outside the company for outside perspective
Recommended resources: business peer groups, books on succession planning, and the EOS/Traction framework by Gino Wickman
The importance of family meetings for keeping non-active family members informed and aligned
Forgiveness and reconciliation as a foundation for healthy family business relationships
Having hard conversations proactively so tension does not carry into family life
Bill Spohn Sr.'s closing reflection on what comes after stepping back, and the importance of preparing for your next chapter in life
Resources mentioned:
Traction by Gino Wickman
Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman & Mark Winters
Succeeding by Albert Ciuksza
Good to Great by Jim Collins
Family Business Succession: The Final Test of Greatness by Aronoff, McClure, & Ward
Process! by Mike Paton and Lisa Gonzalez
The Business Transition Handbook by Laurie R. Barkman
Who Comes Next? Leadership Succession Planning Made Easy by Mary C. Kelly & Meredith E. Powell
Predictive Index (personality/behavioral assessment tool used at Kalos)
University of Pittsburgh business peer group for entrepreneurs (referenced by Billy)
Family business advisory boards and outside mentors
 
Visit TruTech Tools at https://trutechtools.com/. 
Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool.
Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium.
Subscribe to our podcast on your iPhone or Android.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Check out our handy calculators here or on the HVAC School Mobile App for Apple and Android.

Looking to Add Plumbing To Your HVAC Business? Learn the critical pitfalls to avoid before you make the leap! In this livestream from the 7th Annual HVAC/R Training Symposium, service plumber and third-generation tradesman Nate Agentis breaks down why adding plumbing to your HVAC business isn't as simple as hiring a plumber and stocking PVC on your trucks.
What You'll Learn:
Why most HVAC companies fail when adding plumbing services
The hidden costs beyond just hiring plumbers
Marketing challenges specific to emergency plumbing
How to structure your plumbing division for success
The importance of leadership and proper business planning
Insurance, branding, and culture considerations
Smart entry points like maintenance plans and water heater services
Nate shares real-world insights on avoiding the cash flow drains, cultural toxicity, and structural mistakes that plague HVAC companies trying to diversify. Whether you're considering adding plumbing or already struggling with your plumbing division, this conversation provides actionable strategies for sustainable growth.
 
Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool.
Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium.
Subscribe to our podcast on your iPhone or Android.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Check out our handy calculators here or on the HVAC School Mobile App for Apple and Android.

In this episode of the HVAC School Podcast, host Bryan sits down with Johnny, the creator behind the popular social media channel "Let's Be Techs." Johnny brings a wealth of hands-on experience to the table, having spent his first 13 years in residential HVAC before transitioning into commercial refrigeration. He shares his unconventional path into the trade—starting out building houses before being recommended to an HVAC contractor—and how the lack of quality mentorship early in his career motivated him to create educational content for technicians. His videos, which began as a fun hobby and a way to teach his helper remotely, have since grown exponentially across TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook, and continue to attract technicians hungry for practical, real-world knowledge.
The bulk of the episode is a deep dive into real-world troubleshooting strategies, covering everything from the very first moments you arrive on a job site to diagnosing complex intermittent electrical faults. Bryan and Johnny both emphasize the value of using your senses before reaching for specialty tools—listening for surging liquid lines, feeling condenser airflow with your hand, and visually inspecting service valves for oil before removing caps. They share a mutual philosophy that the best technicians are those who can step back, assess the big picture, and narrow down the problem systematically rather than immediately jumping to assumptions about charge levels or component failures.
A significant portion of the conversation centers on low-voltage electrical diagnostics, an area where both techs have noticed major changes over the last several years. Bryan and Johnny discuss the rise of contactor coil failures, transformer overload from aftermarket add-ons like UV lights and zone dampers, and the clever use of a contactor in place of a fuse as a low-cost short-finder tool. They also revisit the concept of "tattletale" fuses and resettable fuses, comparing their reliability and appropriate applications. Throughout these discussions, both hosts bring in personal war stories that make the technical content feel grounded and immediately applicable to everyday service calls.
The episode wraps up with discussions on thermal imaging cameras, scroll compressor anomalies, and a memorable consulting story from Barbados involving a VRF system. Johnny and Bryan also touch on the importance of sharing knowledge openly in the trades, pushing back against the gatekeeping mentality that leaves newer technicians struggling to find reliable information. Both agree that the comment sections of field-focused videos have become a valuable community resource—a place where techs teach each other, correct each other, and build a collective knowledge base that benefits the whole industry.
Topics Covered
Johnny's background: from construction to HVAC apprenticeship to commercial refrigeration
How "Let's Be Techs" started as a fun hobby and grew into a major social media presence
Using your senses first: listening, looking, and feeling before pulling out specialty tools
Checking service valves for oil and inspecting caps/seals before connecting gauges
Walk-in cooler first-response checklist: fans, thermostat display, suction line frost, liquid line surging
Feeling condenser airflow direction to diagnose dirty or clogged coils
Identifying capacitor and contactor issues from the moment you approach residential equipment
The rise of contactor coil failures and how location-based dirty power contributes
Transformer overload: understanding the 40 VA / 24V current rating and why a 5-amp fuse doesn't protect windings
Aftermarket add-ons (UV lights, dampers, zone systems) overloading low-voltage circuits
Float switches fusing closed from excess current draw
The contactor-as-short-finder trick: a DIY alternative to the Short Pro tool
Adding individual circuit fuses ("tattletale" fuses) for isolating intermittent low-voltage shorts
Resettable (popper) fuses: reliability issues and why 3-amp versions outperform 5-amp versions
Contextual diagnostics: thinking about when and why a fuse blew (weather, season, recent activity)
The 225°F discharge line rule for monitoring compressor health
Scroll compressor oddities: running backwards, check valve failures, and starting under equalized pressure
VRF system quirk: electronic expansion valves staying open when power is cut to one air handler
Thermal imaging cameras: practical applications in the field including electrical panels, motors, condenser coils, and compressor racks
Using black tape (gaffer's tape) to improve thermal imaging accuracy on shiny surfaces
Megohmmeter use for finding wire shorts that are intermittent but close to failing
The importance of anti-gatekeeping: sharing knowledge freely and learning from community feedback
 
Follow Johnny on social media as "Let's Be Techs" on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram.
Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool.
Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium.
Subscribe to our podcast on your iPhone or Android.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Check out our handy calculators here or on the HVAC School Mobile App for Apple and Android.

Join Joey Henderson LIVE from the 7th Annual HVAC/R Training Symposium in Florida! This essential training breaks down the science of heat transfer into practical field techniques every technician needs.
What You'll Learn:
Understanding sensible heat (dry bulb) vs latent heat (wet bulb) removal
Why airflow matters
Heat transfer diagnostics BEFORE pulling out gauges
Gas furnace temperature rise troubleshooting
How all about heat relates to cooling, heating, and refrigeration
Inverter/cold climate heat pump heat transfer principles
Target saturated temperatures
Key Takeaways:
Industry capacity standards
Why humidity removal takes MORE energy than temperature drop
Diagnosing low airflow, dirty coils, and charge issues through heat out measurements
Temperature rise method for gas furnaces and heat strips
Water flow and boiler heat transfer fundamentals
Joey Henderson shares real-world stories and field-tested methods for mastering heat in, heat out principles. Whether you're working with mini-splits, gas furnaces, or commercial chillers - understanding heat transfer is the foundation of excellent HVAC work!
 
Have a question that you want us to answer on the podcast? Submit your questions at https://www.speakpipe.com/hvacschool.
Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 7th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium.
Subscribe to our podcast on your iPhone or Android.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Check out our handy calculators here or on the HVAC School Mobile App for Apple and Android.