Smart Home Archives - East Coast Metal Distributors Blog

Embrace a Smarter Spring: Why Now is the Perfect Time for Thermostat Upgrades

Contractor installing smart thermostat

Spring is an excellent time to update your customers’ systems to smart thermostats. Prior to peak cooling season, you probably have more time to discuss the benefits of a smart home and to perform installations without the rush associated with extreme weather conditions.

Preventive Maintenance Between Seasons

As homeowners switch from heating to cooling, they may be more aware of their HVAC system’s performance and energy usage. This awareness creates an opportunity to suggest upgrades that can improve efficiency and comfort. Spring maintenance calls provide the perfect opportunity to assess current thermostats and recommend smart upgrades. Since you are already servicing the system, it’s a convenient time to discuss the benefits of a smart thermostat.

This can provide a more seamless and automated home environment before the temperatures heat up. Continue reading “Embrace a Smarter Spring: Why Now is the Perfect Time for Thermostat Upgrades”

Understanding Shoulder Season: An HVAC Contractor’s Opportunity

Spring time is the shoulder seasion

Springtime is often referred to as the “shoulder season” in the HVAC industry. This term signifies the period that comes after the intense cold of winter and just before the sweltering heat of summer. For HVAC contractors, shoulder season is an essential time of the year, marked by a shift in focus from the urgent demands of emergency callouts to preventative maintenance and system upgrades.

The Importance of Spring Maintenance

As the ice thaws and the flowers begin to bloom, homeowners too start thinking about spring cleaning and home maintenance. This season is an ideal time for contractors to encourage and schedule preventative maintenance for their clients. The advantages? Catching and addressing small issues during spring can forestall major, more expensive problems during the peak summer season when HVAC systems are running at full capacity. Continue reading “Understanding Shoulder Season: An HVAC Contractor’s Opportunity”

Are you a Smart Home Addict?

Hello, my name is Matt and I fear that I am an entry-level Smart Home Addict. I’m not full-blown mind you … more of recreational user that can see the eventual descent into hopeless addiction. Now, in full disclosure, none of the above is meant to make light of serious addictions or anyone who suffers from one. Rather, the point I am making is that smart home products start with just one often time and then can quickly lead to many. Now I am not what anyone would consider a “techie” person, despite being a millennial. I do not Facebook, Twitter, Tik-Tok, Instagram, or… Myspace. I know how to use computers and smartphones, but outside of using them professionally, I am not one to be found casually utilizing technology.

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Amana & Google Nest: Create A Hands-Free, Hassle-Free Home For Your Customers

Don’t miss out on this money-making opportunity. Contractors who bundle smart home products with Amana brand system purchases stand to make more per job.

The Amana brand has a rich history of creating hassle-free living environments for its customers. Whether it be creating appliances that changed the American household or creating modern, state-of-the-art HVAC systems that pair well with smart home products – the comfort of Amana customers always comes first.

That’s why Amana brand equipment makes a perfect match with Google Nest smart home products. Google Nest smart home products are designed to create a hands-free, helpful home for customers using voice-activated devices to control thermostats, appliances, security products, and lighting.

Contractors who bundle smart home products with Amana brand system purchases stand to make more per job. Demand for smart home options is growing, and customers are continually asking for smarter solutions to save on utility bills and make their busy lives a little easier to manage.

Continue reading “Amana & Google Nest: Create A Hands-Free, Hassle-Free Home For Your Customers”

Ten Things HVAC Contractors Can Do Today to Get Started in the Smart Home Market

HVAC contractors and their employees visit dozens, maybe even hundreds or thousands of homes a week. They come into contact with countless doorbells, light switches, and home appliances. They’re trusted advisors to the customers in their care. So when the time comes for their customers to replace those doorbells with their smart home counterparts, shouldn’t HVAC contractors be the “smartest” choice for the job?

Here are 10 things HVAC contractors can do right away to make sure their companies are on track to start reaping the rewards of the burgeoning smart home business.

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ACHR News Reports: Smart HVAC Contractors Sell Intelligence

Service Nation shares thoughts, strategies for the burgeoning smart home market

With an expected growth rate of 31 percent in 2018, the global smart home market will soon reach total sales of 643.9 million devices, per a recent study by market research company IDC. By 2022, the company estimates as many as 1.3 billion smart devices will have made their way into households. That factors out to one smart home device for every sixth person (babies and children included).

Still, nonconnected homes are projected to outnumber smart homes in 2021 by more than a 2-to-1 margin, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. In other words, the market is there for those who can get out and make the sales.

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Contractors Use Smart Sales for Smart Homes

HVAC contractors, manufacturers share how to close the deal.

Buy a brand-new home, and chances are, the heating and air-conditioning system will come with a Wi-Fi thermostat.

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What Is Field Service Management Software?

If you work in a home-services industry — and especially if you manage a team of professionals who make house calls — there’s a good chance you’ve heard about field service management software. But exactly what does this term refer to, and is field service management software applicable in your specific line of work?

To help you gain a clearer understanding of what field service management software is and how your business might use it, here’s an overview of everything you need to know about this revolutionary way to streamline your workflow.

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The ROI of Quality Field Service Software

If you’ve been in the field service industry for a while, you know how important it is to use quality management software. A good tool allows you to coordinate many components of field operations from a single platform. For instance, the five most requested features of a field service management (FSM) solution include scheduling, work order management, job in progress tracking, job management, and service history tracking. Any decent field service tool at least manages those five things and does it will.

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5 Ways Technology is Changing the HVAC Industry

New technology, such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality, are changing the heating and air conditioning industry in every way. To keep up, HVAC professionals need to understand how customers are using this new technology to monitor their energy usage and plan equipment maintenance. Here are five technology trends that are impacting HVAC companies.

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