HVAC Community Hub | Julien | Activity

Julien posted a new activity comment

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 17:11:15 +1200

Residential guys looking at this photo wondering what planet this is from 😂

In reply to - Aiden posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs First visit to a new commercial customer today. They said the previous company just stopped showing up about 6 months ago and nobody has been in […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 02:18:28 +1200

That’s not just dust. Those are cobwebs which means there’s gaps or openings in the duct system letting things in. The cleaning is the symptom not the problem.

In reply to - Oliver posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices You rent a house here in California where rent is around $2,500 a month. It’s been 90-100° outside and your AC is keeping the house […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 04:36:36 +1200

Flex duct is fine if it’s installed correctly. the problem is nobody installs it correctly.

In reply to - Harry posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices Customer complaint was one bedroom not cooling. Found this under the house. Flex completely disconnected from the boot, just dumping […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 01:50:12 +1200

The guys who wrap their trucks well probably get named more than they realize.

In reply to - Jackson posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices If you polled 1000 people in your town and asked them to name three air conditioning companies how many do you think would mention yours?

Julien posted a new activity comment

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 21:49:19 +1200

Elderly customer or family with kids I’m going. Everyone else can wait.

In reply to - Henry posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices Genuinely curious how you all handle the customer who calls at 4:55pm on a Friday saying their AC has been out since Wednesday.

Julien posted a new activity comment

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 20:09:56 +1200

😂😂😂 welcome to 44.

In reply to - Harry posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices Turning 44 next month. Knees are shot, right shoulder clicks every time I reach over my head. Been doing this since I was 19. What are you […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 03:18:21 +1200

Housecall pro has basic bookkeeping built in if you’re already using it for scheduling.

In reply to - Cameron posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Quickbooks is by far the best because it will scale with your business. It works well especially if you are not using any CRM right now. There […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 01:23:33 +1200

How long do you think this has been building up?

In reply to - Jules posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs No filter. Ever. Apparently.

Julien posted a new activity comment

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 06:06:54 +1200

$42,500. 8 to 10 employees 10 vehicles. Revenue around $2.5 to 3 mil.

In reply to - Charles posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs What’s everyone paying for insurance these days. Workers comp, general liability, commercial auto. Small company, 3 techs, 4 trucks, […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Thu, 28 May 2026 06:20:08 +1200

It gets better. But go in with your eyes open. Month 1 through 4 with your first hire is survival mode. Plan for it financially before you do it.

In reply to - Logan posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices I want to know, what was your strategy to get to 1, 2, 3 employees? Regarding cash flow, keeping everyone busy, funding trucks and equipment.

Julien posted a new activity comment

Thu, 28 May 2026 05:45:36 +1200

It’s difficult. I sold a house when the market was high and used that to fund it. Worked a W2 job at the same time for the first 8 months to keep personal bills covered while the business found its feet. Definitely struggling right now with cash going out but we have good work lined up so trying to stay patient.

Julien posted a new activity comment

Tue, 26 May 2026 12:11:50 +1200

This is the thing nobody teaches you in trade school.

In reply to - Dylan posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Something my mentor told me when I was coming up that I think about a lot. He said the customer isn’t paying for the part. They’re paying for […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Tue, 26 May 2026 05:13:31 +1200

I know. it was brutal. I’ll tell you what worked for me in a sec.

In reply to - Aiden posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs so my google business profile got suspended this morning with zero warning no email. no explanation. just suspended when I went to check […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Tue, 26 May 2026 00:38:26 +1200

Happened to me last august. took 6 weeks to get it back. worst 6 weeks of the year.

Julien posted a new activity comment

Tue, 19 May 2026 09:58:04 +1200

Had one last week. different company quoted $800 to replace a contactor. I did it for $95. customer cried actual tears.

In reply to - Adam posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Customer called at 4:55pm. system not cooling. told them I could be there in the morning. they said never mind they’ll call someone else. called back […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Sat, 16 May 2026 05:18:50 +1200

You still need somebody that can actually sell and explain the job in person.

In reply to - Hunter posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices Seeing more HVAC websites lately adding instant quote tools and online pricing. I get why companies are doing it because customers wanna […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Thu, 14 May 2026 20:07:35 +1200

We finally found a decent setup through a local broker that works mostly with trade companies.

In reply to - Alessandro posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices Started looking into health insurance options for employees this week and honestly didn’t realize how all over the place pricing […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Tue, 12 May 2026 05:47:59 +1200

Went through a broker. Way easier than trying to compare all that stuff myself.

Julien posted a new activity comment

Thu, 07 May 2026 12:56:01 +1200

People get real picky once money leaves their account.

In reply to - Nicolas posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Had a weird situation recently with a customer after a job was already wrapped up. During the work everything was normal. Walked through […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Sun, 03 May 2026 02:43:32 +1200

Those are the worst ones.

In reply to - Owen posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs how many callbacks do you guys actually consider normal before you start second guessing the original job? i’m not talking about random stuff breaking […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 21:54:10 +1200

We allow net 30 but after that reminders start going out right away. If it hits 60 we start tightening things up and no new work until something gets paid.

In reply to - Harry posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Got a couple small commercial accounts that are good for the money, but every invoice turns into a wait. Not chasing bad debt, they eventually pay… […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 21:26:11 +1200

Anything more than a couple volts drop across a closed contactor is already a warning sign. 30V is way past that.

In reply to - Robert posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices Swapped a contactor today that looked fine at a glance, but under load it was dropping voltage across the contacts. Getting about 240V in, […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 21:41:48 +1200

Following

In reply to - Jack posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices Been reviewing our business insurance lately and realizing I probably don’t understand half of what we’re actually covered for. Feels like […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:45:55 +1200

I’ve bought the same cheap tool three times instead of one good one.

In reply to - Robert posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices Bought one of those cheaper tools thinking it would get me through a few jobs, and now I’m replacing it way sooner than expected. Starting to […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Sat, 21 Mar 2026 16:25:00 +1300

This is what people dont understand. The needle bottoms out right where the real work starts

In reply to - Mason posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Finally picked up a micron gauge this week. Been in the trade 9 years and have been judging vacuum on the manifold needle the whole time […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 11:48:10 +1300

Nobody’s venting it. The leak vents it. There’s a difference.

In reply to - Andrea posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices System is low on charge. No obvious leak. No oil staining anywhere on the lineset, no traces at the fittings, coil looks clean. Customer […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:14:27 +1300

and they’ll do it to the next guy too. same story different contractor

In reply to - Caleb posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices Sub passed inspection on paper, got paid, and disappeared. Now the GC is calling me every morning and the rework is coming out of […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Sat, 21 Feb 2026 12:48:23 +1300

Before opening everything, check if there’s a main return somewhere central. Maybe they consolidated it.

In reply to - Lucas posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Just closed on a house built in the 1920s and the furnace looks pretty new installed around 2022 from what I can tell. While walking through […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 07:30:53 +1300

Facts. The ones who fight you on $200 are the same ones calling at 9pm over nothing.

In reply to - Benjamin posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Hi All,

Julien posted a new activity comment

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 22:53:43 +1300

That’s kind of my point though those guys aren’t competing on price, they’re competing on brand and financing. AI might squeeze the middle, not the top.

In reply to - Matteo posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices Anyone else noticing customers coming in way more “prepared” than before? Not just YouTube stuff I mean price ranges, part numbers, even […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 17:20:26 +1300

Elite CHVAC still gets the job done for straightforward load calcs. Not flashy but reliable.

In reply to - Mason posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Hello,

Julien posted a new activity comment

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 14:49:32 +1300

This is why we stopped rolling without payment upfront. Too many oops never mind calls.

In reply to - Logan posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Rolled a truck in a snowstorm for an emergency call. Fee paid upfront. Homeowner fixed it themselves by the time we got there and wanted a […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 02:15:32 +1300

From the employee side, ADP is easy to use.

In reply to - Nicolas posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Thinking about switching payroll providers. What are you using and would you stick with it?

Julien posted a new activity comment

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 08:01:10 +1300

Housecall works fine for us, but you still need your pricing dialed in or it doesn’t matter.

In reply to - Mason posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Looking for recommendations on sales quoting software for unit replacements. Not trying to overcomplicate things just want something consistent, […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 16:31:06 +1300

Facebook ads never did much for us. Lots of clicks, very few real calls.

In reply to - Ryan posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Been trying to figure out where the best return actually comes from when it comes to getting work in the door. We’re steady, but not booked out the […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 14:46:11 +1300

Installers build it to work, service techs have to keep it working. Two different worlds.

In reply to - Michael posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Saw this setup today and honestly, this is where experience quietly matters. On the surface everything looks installed properly – piping […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 12:17:47 +1300

Honestly, most of these should just be replaced instead of spending hours on them.

In reply to - Aiden posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices Older equipment, a lot of small changes made over the years, and nothing really laid out clean anymore. This is usually where things slow […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 07:20:32 +1300

Half the ‘bad boards’ I see end up being power or a loose connection.

In reply to - Jack posted an update in the group HVAC Installation Best Practices Check ground and incoming voltage before blaming the board. A lot of ‘bad boards’ aren’t bad at all.

Julien posted a new activity comment

Sun, 11 Jan 2026 22:15:42 +1300

Some days start strong, some start like this.

In reply to - Jack posted an update in the group HVAC Tools & Equipment Just started the day… and yeah, this is how it’s going.

Julien posted a new activity comment

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 18:30:13 +1300

The hardest ones to explain to people too.

In reply to - Julien posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Everything checks out on paper, but the space still doesn’t feel right. Air’s moving – just not where it’s supposed to anymore.

Julien posted a new activity comment

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 18:30:12 +1300

And still leave you thinking about it on the drive home.

Julien posted a new activity comment

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 18:30:10 +1300

One tweak at a time until the system forgets what it was designed to do.

Julien posted a new activity comment

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 18:30:09 +1300

The most accurate sensor in the building 😂

Julien posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs: Everything checks out on paper, but the space […]

Sun, 04 Jan 2026 19:47:04 +1300

Everything checks out on paper, but the space still doesn’t feel right.
Air’s moving – just not where it’s supposed to anymore.

Julien posted a new activity comment

Sun, 04 Jan 2026 19:46:58 +1300

Occupants usually describe it as heavy air or stale but can’t explain more.

In reply to - Nathan posted an update in the group HVAC Tools & Equipment Spent time in a commercial space today where nothing showed up as an obvious fault, but the comfort just wasn’t right. Areas close to the unit felt […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 17:58:43 +1300

Honestly, I’ve seen plenty of units run for years like this without anyone noticing.

In reply to - Liam posted an update in the group Troubleshooting & Repairs Internal fiberglass insulation inside the unit has degraded and detached. The insulation has sagged into the airflow path, collecting dust and […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 19:35:58 +1300

New year, same HVAC challenges – but hopefully better systems to handle them.

In reply to - HVAC Community Hub posted an update in the group HVAC Contractors & Subcontractors Happy New Year from the HVAC Community🥳 Wishing every HVAC business owner, technician, contractor, manufacturer, and student […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 14:27:51 +1300

That conversation is getting old fast.

In reply to - Julien posted an update in the group HVAC Lead Generation Mastery Leads are coming in… but they’re weird. Wrong jobs, wrong areas, price-shoppers only – feels like the system is working but attracting the […]

Julien posted a new activity comment

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 14:27:49 +1300

Didn’t think of that – worth revisiting.

Julien posted a new activity comment

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 14:27:48 +1300

Exactly.