WEBVTT 00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:08.199 Hello, everyone. Thank you for joining us once 00:00:08.199 --> 00:00:12.439 again on Did You Know, the ESCO HVAC podcast. 00:00:12.820 --> 00:00:16.500 So we are spending some time at the 2025 Allied 00:00:16.500 --> 00:00:19.640 Air DSR Technical Training Conference. And Colin 00:00:19.640 --> 00:00:21.399 Murphy from Famous Supplies, join us. What's 00:00:21.399 --> 00:00:23.359 going on? How are you doing? I'm doing. Thanks 00:00:23.359 --> 00:00:25.320 for having me. Absolutely, man. This has been 00:00:25.320 --> 00:00:27.559 a great conference. This is my first time here. 00:00:27.859 --> 00:00:31.579 And it's a really, it's a really intimate group 00:00:31.579 --> 00:00:35.479 of. Educators, right? Like everyone that I've 00:00:35.479 --> 00:00:37.179 talked to is like, I just, I look forward to 00:00:37.179 --> 00:00:39.719 this every year. I get to hang out with my friends. 00:00:40.299 --> 00:00:42.439 Everyone's going through the same, you know, 00:00:42.439 --> 00:00:45.539 the same technical support calls, the same training. 00:00:45.700 --> 00:00:48.320 We're all going through a bunch of stuff at the 00:00:48.320 --> 00:00:53.060 same time. And everyone is really very, a lot 00:00:53.060 --> 00:00:54.740 of camaraderie, very comfortable with each other. 00:00:55.100 --> 00:00:57.100 Yeah, I think especially this year because of 00:00:57.100 --> 00:00:59.579 the amount of change that we've had really over 00:00:59.579 --> 00:01:02.000 the last two years. But especially this year 00:01:02.000 --> 00:01:06.159 when you add in everything that's, you know, 00:01:06.159 --> 00:01:09.000 with the new refrigerant and the transition and 00:01:09.000 --> 00:01:13.000 RDS controls and on and on and on and not being 00:01:13.000 --> 00:01:15.459 able to get refrigerants. So, you know, we've 00:01:15.459 --> 00:01:17.599 all we're all kind of like on the same team right 00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:19.819 now, especially tech guys in general. Yeah. You 00:01:19.819 --> 00:01:24.200 know, we really, you know, I've never. seen it 00:01:24.200 --> 00:01:26.219 really adversarial when it comes to tech guys 00:01:26.219 --> 00:01:28.579 like we always want have pretty good relationships 00:01:28.579 --> 00:01:30.739 you know what i mean even at competing distributors 00:01:30.739 --> 00:01:33.340 right uh because you know at the end of the day 00:01:33.340 --> 00:01:36.319 we're really trying to make sure that we have 00:01:36.319 --> 00:01:38.959 the best dealer experience and homeowner experience 00:01:38.959 --> 00:01:41.260 with the products so yeah but it's been a challenge 00:01:41.260 --> 00:01:43.329 this year there's no doubt Yeah, well, I mean, 00:01:43.370 --> 00:01:45.590 talk about some of these challenges because there 00:01:45.590 --> 00:01:48.950 might be other DSRs out there that are listening 00:01:48.950 --> 00:01:52.250 or even just members of, you know, the HVACR 00:01:52.250 --> 00:01:54.450 industry going, all right, I hear like there's 00:01:54.450 --> 00:01:56.629 lots of things going on, but like what's the 00:01:56.629 --> 00:01:59.409 biggest struggles? Like I wouldn't say struggles. 00:01:59.469 --> 00:02:02.450 What have been the things that we've needed to 00:02:02.450 --> 00:02:04.769 learn the most about this year? Right. Well, 00:02:04.870 --> 00:02:07.969 I think that we've really focused on as a distributor 00:02:07.969 --> 00:02:12.080 at Famous. We focused on coil matchups, really 00:02:12.080 --> 00:02:15.099 trying to communicate to our employees on a regular 00:02:15.099 --> 00:02:18.919 basis what the transition is looking like with 00:02:18.919 --> 00:02:22.199 the allied products. And it started with the 00:02:22.199 --> 00:02:24.599 outdoor units, the heat pumps and the air conditioners, 00:02:24.599 --> 00:02:28.319 coil changes. Obviously, we have RDS controls, 00:02:28.599 --> 00:02:31.099 but now we have the new RDS furnaces coming. 00:02:31.240 --> 00:02:33.360 So we're trying to integrate those into the business 00:02:33.360 --> 00:02:37.419 now. And it's a challenge, but, you know, really. 00:02:38.250 --> 00:02:40.949 At the beginning of the year, we said we can't 00:02:40.949 --> 00:02:43.469 over -communicate anything this year. No, this 00:02:43.469 --> 00:02:45.689 is the year of communication. And we really have, 00:02:45.849 --> 00:02:47.569 on a regular basis, communicated with all of 00:02:47.569 --> 00:02:50.349 our employees, especially on the tech side. We've 00:02:50.349 --> 00:02:52.310 also done more training this year than we've 00:02:52.310 --> 00:02:56.949 really ever done at Famous Supply. We've done 00:02:56.949 --> 00:02:59.969 a ton with the new refrigerant, ranging from 00:02:59.969 --> 00:03:04.849 installation all the way to just standard. our 00:03:04.849 --> 00:03:08.969 454b classes etc so you know it's been and it's 00:03:08.969 --> 00:03:11.150 been a challenge because we at one point we had 00:03:11.150 --> 00:03:14.349 a lot of 410a products still um which we sold 00:03:14.349 --> 00:03:16.370 out of a lot quicker than what we thought we 00:03:16.370 --> 00:03:19.229 were going to yeah um and then you know had to 00:03:19.229 --> 00:03:22.150 make that transition at a time when we couldn't 00:03:22.150 --> 00:03:25.259 get the refrigerant itself so it was uh it was 00:03:25.259 --> 00:03:28.520 really a difficult time but i feel like we're 00:03:28.520 --> 00:03:31.259 around in third base right now um we're heading 00:03:31.259 --> 00:03:34.819 towards the finish line um and i really feel 00:03:34.819 --> 00:03:36.520 that next year we should be able to get off on 00:03:36.520 --> 00:03:39.979 a good footing uh you know moving into the new 00:03:39.979 --> 00:03:42.680 refrigerant and and really focusing on pushing 00:03:42.680 --> 00:03:45.560 more of our higher end products that that we've 00:03:45.560 --> 00:03:48.460 been uh you know We haven't had a lot of time 00:03:48.460 --> 00:03:50.340 focusing on that this year. I agree. It's been 00:03:50.340 --> 00:03:52.860 more of just how are we going to make sure we 00:03:52.860 --> 00:03:55.500 make this transition as easy as possible for 00:03:55.500 --> 00:03:59.479 our customers and for our associates. That's 00:03:59.479 --> 00:04:01.460 been the biggest ones. A lot of people forget 00:04:01.460 --> 00:04:04.860 the refrigerant transition is what we talk about 00:04:04.860 --> 00:04:08.300 a lot, but the technology transition is just 00:04:08.300 --> 00:04:13.289 as significant, if not more so. Almost all of 00:04:13.289 --> 00:04:16.670 our calls today involve RDS controls as far as 00:04:16.670 --> 00:04:20.290 wiring them. How do they get that to integrate 00:04:20.290 --> 00:04:23.129 with somebody else's furnace? On and on and on 00:04:23.129 --> 00:04:25.829 and on. But I really feel that our tech guys, 00:04:26.009 --> 00:04:30.370 our guys, our DSRs at Famous, they've done a 00:04:30.370 --> 00:04:33.689 really good job. We've all been working really 00:04:33.689 --> 00:04:35.750 hard to navigate through this whole thing. I 00:04:35.750 --> 00:04:38.269 really feel good about where we're at today. 00:04:39.470 --> 00:04:41.709 You know, I wouldn't have said that about three 00:04:41.709 --> 00:04:45.110 months ago. As soon as we ran out of R410A equipment, 00:04:45.329 --> 00:04:49.029 it was a struggle. But I think everybody was 00:04:49.029 --> 00:04:51.970 in the same boat. So I really do feel positive 00:04:51.970 --> 00:04:54.949 at this point for next year. Yeah, I've seen 00:04:54.949 --> 00:04:57.209 a lot with the R410A equipment because, you know, 00:04:57.209 --> 00:05:01.029 as a distributor, you know that it really needs 00:05:01.029 --> 00:05:03.269 to be gone by the end of the year. Right. Yes. 00:05:03.370 --> 00:05:05.410 Everyone kind of understood that. Right. The 00:05:05.410 --> 00:05:08.029 TTR technology transition rule kind of dictates 00:05:08.029 --> 00:05:11.709 like how how how systems packages. Right. We 00:05:11.709 --> 00:05:13.449 really got to look at what type of equipment 00:05:13.449 --> 00:05:16.069 it is. But inevitably, like our split systems 00:05:16.069 --> 00:05:18.389 really need to be out of inventory by the end 00:05:18.389 --> 00:05:20.310 of the year. Unless it's things like warranty 00:05:20.310 --> 00:05:22.350 replacement or individual components. Right. 00:05:22.410 --> 00:05:24.329 You know, because we can't install those systems. 00:05:24.370 --> 00:05:27.879 Right. Right. January 26. Yeah. And so. there 00:05:27.879 --> 00:05:30.579 was this whole okay i need to have some stock 00:05:30.579 --> 00:05:32.639 to get through but i don't know how long yeah 00:05:32.639 --> 00:05:34.800 and then maybe at some point you know i've seen 00:05:34.800 --> 00:05:36.379 some distributors you know start discounting 00:05:36.379 --> 00:05:38.740 their 410 recently trying to get rid of it but 00:05:38.740 --> 00:05:41.319 like you said a lot of distributors actually 00:05:41.769 --> 00:05:44.649 just flat out ran out of it right uh in the process 00:05:44.649 --> 00:05:47.370 and so there were some compound things this year 00:05:47.370 --> 00:05:51.310 but i'm with you we're really moving out of that 00:05:51.310 --> 00:05:54.730 that initial phase that initial shock phase and 00:05:54.730 --> 00:05:56.649 everyone's starting to get more comfortable supplies 00:05:56.649 --> 00:05:58.829 are really starting to do well and so now we 00:05:58.829 --> 00:06:03.189 can start focusing on the next topic of conversation 00:06:03.189 --> 00:06:05.029 which i think is going to be the whole technology 00:06:05.029 --> 00:06:07.250 transition because even here at the conference 00:06:07.250 --> 00:06:09.970 like what we're seeing a lot of here is high 00:06:09.970 --> 00:06:12.990 performing heat pumps right and trying to kind 00:06:12.990 --> 00:06:16.050 of break that stigma of cold climate right you 00:06:16.050 --> 00:06:18.310 know we end up getting those specifications from 00:06:18.310 --> 00:06:20.750 energy star of you know what is a cold climate 00:06:20.750 --> 00:06:22.829 specification well it's not really a piece of 00:06:22.829 --> 00:06:25.790 equipment that's designed with a specific task 00:06:25.790 --> 00:06:27.750 it's just a high performing piece of equipment 00:06:27.750 --> 00:06:30.209 that meets that meets these criteria correct 00:06:30.209 --> 00:06:34.000 right so we're going to see a lot of very high 00:06:34.000 --> 00:06:37.160 performing heat pumps moving into pretty much 00:06:37.160 --> 00:06:39.660 all sectors of the industry. Right. And it's 00:06:39.660 --> 00:06:41.860 been transitioning that way over the last five 00:06:41.860 --> 00:06:44.959 years. I will tell you, um, the, the one issue 00:06:44.959 --> 00:06:47.839 that we have right now, you know, involving the 00:06:47.839 --> 00:06:50.560 high end heat pumps is that, you know, we've 00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:53.540 really focused on tax credits up till this point, 00:06:53.639 --> 00:06:57.160 but those are going away January 1st. So that's, 00:06:57.160 --> 00:07:00.360 that's not a good thing for us because we've 00:07:00.360 --> 00:07:03.620 done, You know, we've really focused on that 00:07:03.620 --> 00:07:06.819 part of it to help push that higher end product. 00:07:07.000 --> 00:07:09.899 It really has been. So we're going to see what 00:07:09.899 --> 00:07:12.360 that mix does. I would expect the mix is going 00:07:12.360 --> 00:07:14.040 to go down, but we're going to continue to try 00:07:14.040 --> 00:07:16.759 to push the high end products. But the markets 00:07:16.759 --> 00:07:20.120 kind of dictate, you know, what happens. So I 00:07:20.120 --> 00:07:24.879 definitely, you know, I'm disappointed. in that 00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:27.319 part of the legislation. I agree. Especially 00:07:27.319 --> 00:07:29.360 when I've spent a good part of my career, really 00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:32.639 getting our customers comfortable with it, comfortable 00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:34.339 and to be able to offer it and talk about it. 00:07:34.399 --> 00:07:37.819 Yeah. So, and I understand a lot of people have 00:07:37.819 --> 00:07:39.259 never talked about it. They didn't want to get 00:07:39.259 --> 00:07:42.399 involved with it, but there was really an opportunity 00:07:42.399 --> 00:07:45.420 to sell high end heat pumps. So I still think 00:07:45.420 --> 00:07:47.079 that heat pumps are going to continue to be an 00:07:47.079 --> 00:07:50.800 important, an important part. of everything moving 00:07:50.800 --> 00:07:53.500 forward. But I think some of the higher end products, 00:07:53.579 --> 00:07:56.120 because of the price tag, we were able to offset 00:07:56.120 --> 00:07:59.000 some of that with tax credits in the past. We 00:07:59.000 --> 00:08:03.759 may see a mix down next year, but we'll have 00:08:03.759 --> 00:08:05.740 to wait and see at this point. We're going to 00:08:05.740 --> 00:08:08.139 try to come up with some different ways to incentivize 00:08:08.139 --> 00:08:11.860 the higher end products because they really do 00:08:11.860 --> 00:08:13.959 make a difference when you install them. You 00:08:13.959 --> 00:08:15.879 know, it's it's not like it's a bait and switch 00:08:15.879 --> 00:08:17.620 at a car dealer or something. Absolutely not. 00:08:17.620 --> 00:08:20.600 This is a legit thing that saves a ton of money 00:08:20.600 --> 00:08:22.399 on a system, especially when you get a 10 year 00:08:22.399 --> 00:08:24.879 warranty. Yeah. And you can talk about all those 00:08:24.879 --> 00:08:27.720 things. So I think that's probably the direction 00:08:27.720 --> 00:08:29.720 we're going to focus on is, you know, how much 00:08:29.720 --> 00:08:32.200 money can you save? How much electric can you 00:08:32.200 --> 00:08:34.679 save? Like and, you know, comfort, et cetera. 00:08:34.759 --> 00:08:39.120 So. I've seen contractors in the Midwest actually 00:08:39.120 --> 00:08:41.480 change their complete business model based on 00:08:41.480 --> 00:08:43.519 the performance of heat pumps, today's heat pumps. 00:08:44.120 --> 00:08:46.360 Contractors that have used it as a training opportunity 00:08:46.360 --> 00:08:49.580 to teach their entire installation and service 00:08:49.580 --> 00:08:53.120 team, this is the type of equipment we want to 00:08:53.120 --> 00:08:55.000 be installing. We want to be known for doing 00:08:55.000 --> 00:08:57.179 these performance systems and performance installations. 00:08:57.700 --> 00:09:00.019 And they've already committed that no matter 00:09:00.019 --> 00:09:02.759 what happens with rebates, their business model 00:09:02.759 --> 00:09:06.320 is to stay. We are this professional company 00:09:06.320 --> 00:09:08.820 because we can do this and we can do this right. 00:09:08.899 --> 00:09:11.019 It's such a good thing for the customer. Yeah, 00:09:11.080 --> 00:09:13.759 I don't disagree with that. I really feel that 00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:18.360 the heat pumps today, and a lot of times you 00:09:18.360 --> 00:09:21.899 run into what I call old school guys, new school 00:09:21.899 --> 00:09:24.919 guys. Old school guys had a really bad taste 00:09:24.919 --> 00:09:27.419 in their mouth from heat pumps from 34 years 00:09:27.419 --> 00:09:29.740 ago. Oh, yeah. No, let's say late 90s, early 00:09:29.740 --> 00:09:33.549 2000s. you know, the amount of heat production 00:09:33.549 --> 00:09:35.370 you got out of a heat pump wasn't very good. 00:09:35.450 --> 00:09:38.190 And literally there was tons of defrost issues, 00:09:38.389 --> 00:09:40.889 all kinds of things were happening. Right. But 00:09:40.889 --> 00:09:42.950 fast forward to today, like it's a different 00:09:42.950 --> 00:09:47.330 machine than it was. And the people who have 00:09:47.330 --> 00:09:50.909 an understanding of how these systems work really 00:09:50.909 --> 00:09:54.470 are on the next level of technical acumen. And, 00:09:54.570 --> 00:09:58.679 you know, I can tell you that. You know, it's 00:09:58.679 --> 00:10:01.460 really an impressive thing when you can get a 00:10:01.460 --> 00:10:04.299 dealer to buy into the heat pump story and then 00:10:04.299 --> 00:10:05.940 they can start installing them and they start 00:10:05.940 --> 00:10:08.759 understanding them, especially in dual fuel applications 00:10:08.759 --> 00:10:12.039 and a lot of dual fuel. Now, where I'm from, 00:10:12.080 --> 00:10:15.539 you know, I'm from the north. Right. So, you 00:10:15.539 --> 00:10:18.860 know, we we get some colder temperatures for 00:10:18.860 --> 00:10:22.360 sure in Ohio. Oh, yeah. In the winter. But now 00:10:22.360 --> 00:10:24.419 with the cold climate. You know, if we're talking 00:10:24.419 --> 00:10:27.419 100 % capacity down to 17 degrees, that's pretty 00:10:27.419 --> 00:10:32.240 impressive. 70 % capacity down to 5, that's really 00:10:32.240 --> 00:10:34.019 impressive. You know, because I'll be honest, 00:10:34.139 --> 00:10:37.379 the amount of days we get below 10, there's not 00:10:37.379 --> 00:10:41.240 a lot. But there's some, depending on the winter. 00:10:41.539 --> 00:10:46.200 But that 20, 15 to 35 degree temperature, we 00:10:46.200 --> 00:10:50.100 definitely have, you know, a lot of. So we're 00:10:50.100 --> 00:10:54.480 going to see how it goes. The technology in the 00:10:54.480 --> 00:10:57.779 market today is really good. And I truly feel 00:10:57.779 --> 00:11:00.679 that the techs, especially with the contractors 00:11:00.679 --> 00:11:02.200 that have bought in with heat pumps and done 00:11:02.200 --> 00:11:05.639 a lot of training, if you can learn how to troubleshoot 00:11:05.639 --> 00:11:09.200 and work on a... high end heat pumps system in 00:11:09.200 --> 00:11:12.360 today's market. It's definitely, you have a leg 00:11:12.360 --> 00:11:14.840 up advantage, you know, on the, on the technical 00:11:14.840 --> 00:11:18.620 side versus someone who is not offering them, 00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:20.539 doesn't want to talk about them, doesn't, they're 00:11:20.539 --> 00:11:22.679 going to do a 95 % single stage furnace and a 00:11:22.679 --> 00:11:26.519 13 seer air. So, you know, and we've seen a shift 00:11:26.519 --> 00:11:29.620 in dealer, you know, professionalism and technical 00:11:29.620 --> 00:11:32.179 acumen over the last couple of years without 00:11:32.179 --> 00:11:36.220 question. It's that time in our industry. I was 00:11:36.220 --> 00:11:38.500 an automotive nerd by the same time I was an 00:11:38.500 --> 00:11:42.480 HVAC nerd. I loved it because they were so similar. 00:11:42.659 --> 00:11:46.419 I love using that analogy of being like an automotive 00:11:46.419 --> 00:11:50.960 service shop in the early 1990s. You could be 00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:53.720 really good at working on a carbureted engine 00:11:53.720 --> 00:11:57.039 with a distributor, and you could work on just 00:11:57.039 --> 00:11:59.139 about any manufacturer. It's like working on 00:11:59.139 --> 00:12:01.019 a single stage or maybe even a two -stage piece 00:12:01.019 --> 00:12:03.159 of equipment. You get to know one. and you know 00:12:03.159 --> 00:12:04.919 all of them and you're comfortable. But then 00:12:04.919 --> 00:12:06.580 something new comes along like fuel injection 00:12:06.580 --> 00:12:10.200 and you go, it looks similar, but it's so different. 00:12:10.279 --> 00:12:12.899 I don't want to work on that. Well, that's when 00:12:12.899 --> 00:12:15.720 you had that separation. Either you're going 00:12:15.720 --> 00:12:18.980 to be a successful company going forward or you're 00:12:18.980 --> 00:12:22.279 not. So you end up learning two technologies 00:12:22.279 --> 00:12:25.659 just to find that really the newer one is actually 00:12:25.659 --> 00:12:28.649 a much more efficient, easier. version to work 00:12:28.649 --> 00:12:31.029 on than what you used to you just have to be 00:12:31.029 --> 00:12:33.950 willing to understand how that new one operates 00:12:33.950 --> 00:12:36.929 and then fast forward a few years everything 00:12:36.929 --> 00:12:39.710 yeah it's the ability to change and to understand 00:12:39.710 --> 00:12:43.210 um you know it's it it really does remind i mean 00:12:43.210 --> 00:12:45.629 you can definitely relate the car industry too 00:12:45.629 --> 00:12:49.139 because you know my truck today has So many things 00:12:49.139 --> 00:12:51.039 on it that are electronic. It's crazy, right? 00:12:51.100 --> 00:12:54.139 It's no different than our HVAC system, especially 00:12:54.139 --> 00:12:57.019 on the higher end products. Right. But, you know, 00:12:57.059 --> 00:12:59.600 I really feel that, you know, the good thing 00:12:59.600 --> 00:13:01.980 is that selling Armstrong Air, selling Concord, 00:13:02.080 --> 00:13:04.019 you know, we've had really good success with 00:13:04.019 --> 00:13:07.730 the quality over the years. That gives us even 00:13:07.730 --> 00:13:10.389 more confidence. And we have a really good technical 00:13:10.389 --> 00:13:13.690 team at Famous to help our customers. And we 00:13:13.690 --> 00:13:15.769 feel that's really important now. We've actually 00:13:15.769 --> 00:13:17.929 made investments on the tech side over the last 00:13:17.929 --> 00:13:22.370 24 months. Wow. Significant investments because 00:13:22.370 --> 00:13:25.580 we know all these things are coming. And the 00:13:25.580 --> 00:13:29.419 equipment is going to continue to evolve into, 00:13:29.559 --> 00:13:32.919 you know, high -end computerized systems. So 00:13:32.919 --> 00:13:35.879 we really want to make sure that we're taking 00:13:35.879 --> 00:13:38.519 care of our customer, you know, as good as possible 00:13:38.519 --> 00:13:40.759 on the tech side. Yeah, because we don't know 00:13:40.759 --> 00:13:42.539 what next month and next year is going to bring. 00:13:42.620 --> 00:13:45.879 It's going to be something different. 100%. Yeah. 00:13:45.980 --> 00:13:48.440 And, you know, even with the new refrigerants 00:13:48.440 --> 00:13:50.059 moving forward, you know, we're going to have. 00:13:50.590 --> 00:13:51.789 You know, there's still going to be a learning 00:13:51.789 --> 00:13:54.649 curve. I went through the R22 to R410A. You know 00:13:54.649 --> 00:13:57.309 what I mean? And there was all this stigma. All 00:13:57.309 --> 00:13:59.809 this hype. Oh, it was hype. Like the refrigerants, 00:13:59.850 --> 00:14:02.110 you know. Pressures, everything's going to blow 00:14:02.110 --> 00:14:04.029 up. The pressures. Oh, yeah, all this stuff. 00:14:04.090 --> 00:14:05.590 It's going to blow up in my van, blah, blah, 00:14:05.669 --> 00:14:09.389 blah. So I think that, you know, but a lot of 00:14:09.389 --> 00:14:12.669 it is just there was not a ton of knowledge on 00:14:12.669 --> 00:14:14.409 it. You know what I mean? When that transition 00:14:14.409 --> 00:14:16.769 happened. There wasn't the social media education 00:14:16.769 --> 00:14:18.129 we have today. No, there wasn't. You didn't have 00:14:18.129 --> 00:14:19.850 these podcasts to sit and listen to in between 00:14:19.850 --> 00:14:22.570 jobs. Yeah, it's kind of funny. Like when I first 00:14:22.570 --> 00:14:24.110 started selling heat pumps, I didn't even have 00:14:24.110 --> 00:14:28.529 a cell phone. I had a pager and we'd stop at 00:14:28.529 --> 00:14:32.110 a pay phone. But, you know, I think that I really 00:14:32.110 --> 00:14:35.350 do feel that we're heading in the right direction, 00:14:35.389 --> 00:14:38.019 in particular with Allied Products. you know 00:14:38.019 --> 00:14:40.299 we and we get good support from them and and 00:14:40.299 --> 00:14:42.539 i feel that they have a really good product which 00:14:42.539 --> 00:14:45.620 which helps a lot you know and everything has 00:14:45.620 --> 00:14:49.960 problems occasionally right but um you know we're 00:14:49.960 --> 00:14:52.840 we're pretty lucky in the fact that that we do 00:14:52.840 --> 00:14:55.679 sell the allied and that uh you know we really 00:14:55.679 --> 00:14:58.230 do have pretty good luck with the equipment Yeah, 00:14:58.269 --> 00:15:00.009 that's one thing that I've heard is a very common 00:15:00.009 --> 00:15:03.570 theme here is everyone likes being a part of 00:15:03.570 --> 00:15:06.429 Allied. They like the community. They love the 00:15:06.429 --> 00:15:09.250 communication. They love that, you know, you're 00:15:09.250 --> 00:15:10.909 here at a conference and you're working with 00:15:10.909 --> 00:15:13.070 the people, you know, the design and engineer 00:15:13.070 --> 00:15:16.009 and, you know, live with this equipment. And 00:15:16.009 --> 00:15:19.269 they want to have feedback from their DSRs and 00:15:19.269 --> 00:15:21.809 their contractors. There's this, like, you can 00:15:21.809 --> 00:15:24.889 feel the continual evolution of products here. 00:15:24.909 --> 00:15:27.169 And that's been a really cool thing to see. Yeah. 00:15:27.210 --> 00:15:28.990 Yeah, it really is. You know, I have a lot of 00:15:28.990 --> 00:15:30.649 good relationships with the people at Allied, 00:15:30.809 --> 00:15:33.789 and it's really important, I feel, to have those 00:15:33.789 --> 00:15:36.950 relationships as a distributor. Because there's 00:15:36.950 --> 00:15:38.809 a lot of times when I need to make a phone call, 00:15:38.909 --> 00:15:42.049 like, hey, we're having an issue with some of 00:15:42.049 --> 00:15:45.740 this stuff. you know, to be able to call someone 00:15:45.740 --> 00:15:48.200 and they react pretty quickly to what you're 00:15:48.200 --> 00:15:50.580 trying to tell them. Right. Because, you know, 00:15:50.580 --> 00:15:53.000 we try to, we don't report everything all the 00:15:53.000 --> 00:15:55.080 time, you know what I mean? But when we see a 00:15:55.080 --> 00:15:57.440 problem, you know, they know that, you know, 00:15:57.440 --> 00:15:59.480 typically if we start reporting stuff that there's 00:15:59.480 --> 00:16:01.919 an issue. So, but not only that, but the support 00:16:01.919 --> 00:16:05.059 on the warranty side, everything, you know. It's 00:16:05.059 --> 00:16:07.360 all relationships. So we have good relationships 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:09.899 with our dealers, and we also have good relationships 00:16:09.899 --> 00:16:12.860 with Allied. And I think the whole chain is extremely 00:16:12.860 --> 00:16:16.700 important. I really do. Because it trickles down, 00:16:16.840 --> 00:16:19.100 you know what I mean? And, you know, we're able 00:16:19.100 --> 00:16:21.100 to take care of our customers. I feel better 00:16:21.100 --> 00:16:23.340 than our competitors because of our relationships 00:16:23.340 --> 00:16:26.580 with them and with Allied. Very cool. So tell 00:16:26.580 --> 00:16:30.799 me a little bit also about Famous and the training 00:16:30.799 --> 00:16:33.419 and the tech support that you all do. Yeah, sure. 00:16:33.879 --> 00:16:38.740 Famous. So 1933 was started by Hyman Blauschild. 00:16:39.960 --> 00:16:43.139 And then, you know, after I don't know how many 00:16:43.139 --> 00:16:45.460 years he turned it over to his son, Jay. Jay, 00:16:45.539 --> 00:16:48.360 everybody in the industry knew Jay. Jay was like 00:16:48.360 --> 00:16:50.899 a character. He was he was a really cool guy, 00:16:51.000 --> 00:16:53.080 man. He was awesome. He passed away, I think, 00:16:53.080 --> 00:16:58.000 three years ago. He was pretty old, but he came 00:16:58.000 --> 00:17:01.980 to work every day until he was like 85, 86, and 00:17:01.980 --> 00:17:04.640 he was awesome. But it's family -owned, still 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:07.759 in the Blauschild family. We've grown a lot. 00:17:07.799 --> 00:17:12.420 I think we're up to 52 locations, I believe, 00:17:12.460 --> 00:17:15.180 right now, primarily in Ohio, western Pennsylvania, 00:17:15.240 --> 00:17:21.509 and West Virginia right now. You know, we sell 00:17:21.509 --> 00:17:23.509 the Allied product everywhere. We've been selling 00:17:23.509 --> 00:17:27.009 the Allied product since the 60s. It was in Bellevue, 00:17:27.089 --> 00:17:30.990 Ohio. And then Lennox purchased them in, I think 00:17:30.990 --> 00:17:34.069 it was the early 90s. And then it was moved down 00:17:34.069 --> 00:17:36.910 to South Carolina. But we've had that relationship 00:17:36.910 --> 00:17:40.829 for pretty much, I think, 75 or 80 years, maybe. 00:17:41.049 --> 00:17:45.410 Yeah. And, you know, it's always been a good 00:17:45.410 --> 00:17:49.849 relationship. And, you know, we... So we're primarily 00:17:49.849 --> 00:17:52.390 in a gas furnace market, but we are doing a lot 00:17:52.390 --> 00:17:55.109 more heat pumps in the north, especially, you 00:17:55.109 --> 00:17:58.470 know, with, you know, we used to have a ton of 00:17:58.470 --> 00:18:01.170 fuel oil. Yeah, absolutely. You know, and a lot 00:18:01.170 --> 00:18:03.910 of those have been converting to all electric 00:18:03.910 --> 00:18:07.609 heat pump systems and all electric. We also still 00:18:07.609 --> 00:18:11.230 have a ton of LP. So on a lot of those systems 00:18:11.230 --> 00:18:14.230 we're adding heat pumps on because of the cost 00:18:14.230 --> 00:18:17.240 of the fuel. You betcha. You know, it's been, 00:18:17.480 --> 00:18:19.599 and we actually have done over the last couple 00:18:19.599 --> 00:18:22.140 of years, we've done a tremendous job, which 00:18:22.140 --> 00:18:25.960 with the 18LX heat pump, which was the 18 sear 00:18:25.960 --> 00:18:30.220 inverter, and now it's the 19V. So, you know, 00:18:30.220 --> 00:18:32.920 that heat pump really has fit into a good portion 00:18:32.920 --> 00:18:35.240 of our business. We're hoping that with the tax 00:18:35.240 --> 00:18:37.359 credit going away, we can continue on that trajectory, 00:18:37.559 --> 00:18:40.180 at least on the all electric things, systems, 00:18:40.259 --> 00:18:44.259 I think we will. So that's in a training as far 00:18:44.259 --> 00:18:46.609 as training goes. We have Famous University, 00:18:47.049 --> 00:18:51.390 which is our technical training. We call it, 00:18:51.390 --> 00:18:55.529 it's our college, right? And Famous has, like 00:18:55.529 --> 00:18:57.369 I said, been around for, we're coming up on, 00:18:57.470 --> 00:19:00.349 we're going to be coming up on 100 years in 2033. 00:19:00.529 --> 00:19:03.130 And it's funny, they have plans. But one of the 00:19:03.130 --> 00:19:04.670 things we're doing right now is we're building 00:19:04.670 --> 00:19:07.190 a new training center on the east side of Cleveland. 00:19:07.910 --> 00:19:10.069 It's going to be, it's called J -Tech because 00:19:10.069 --> 00:19:13.960 of Jay. Oh, cool. And he loved training. It's 00:19:13.960 --> 00:19:16.539 going to be a 25 ,000 -square -foot facility 00:19:16.539 --> 00:19:20.640 with labs, and it's going to be a tremendous, 00:19:20.839 --> 00:19:24.960 tremendous training facility in our industry 00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:29.220 for our region. And Allied's going to have a 00:19:29.220 --> 00:19:31.380 big room there with all their equipment in it 00:19:31.380 --> 00:19:34.339 to train all of our dealers, and we're really 00:19:34.339 --> 00:19:36.460 excited about it, extremely excited about it. 00:19:36.500 --> 00:19:40.339 I think we're looking at opening up. January 00:19:40.339 --> 00:19:43.099 2026 as of right now. So they've been working 00:19:43.099 --> 00:19:45.440 on it for a while. Yeah, that's a big project. 00:19:45.480 --> 00:19:48.319 It's huge. But, you know, typically we've done 00:19:48.319 --> 00:19:50.339 all of our technical training either at dealer 00:19:50.339 --> 00:19:52.660 shops or at our branches. All of our branches 00:19:52.660 --> 00:19:55.279 have small classrooms, et cetera. But this is 00:19:55.279 --> 00:19:57.380 going to be put on another level, especially 00:19:57.380 --> 00:20:02.440 with the interactive. labs where we can actually 00:20:02.440 --> 00:20:05.000 go in and troubleshoot equipment and look at 00:20:05.000 --> 00:20:07.460 installations. It's going to be, it's going to 00:20:07.460 --> 00:20:09.279 be really good and we're really excited about 00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:11.660 it. Yeah, I'd say so. Where can we learn more 00:20:11.660 --> 00:20:15.660 about famous supply? Famous supply .com. It's 00:20:15.660 --> 00:20:18.759 a, it's a cool website. Like it, you know, famous 00:20:18.759 --> 00:20:22.200 is a, it's, it's, it's pretty interesting. Like 00:20:22.200 --> 00:20:25.319 the culture of our company, like the family being 00:20:25.319 --> 00:20:29.779 family owned and as old as it is. And. You know, 00:20:29.779 --> 00:20:32.420 and all the relationships are old, you know what 00:20:32.420 --> 00:20:34.400 I mean? With Allied and all of our, a lot of 00:20:34.400 --> 00:20:36.299 our other manufacturers that we deal with. Sure. 00:20:36.460 --> 00:20:38.420 So, you know, when you have long -term relationships 00:20:38.420 --> 00:20:41.460 like that, it's, it's kind of nice to be able 00:20:41.460 --> 00:20:43.859 to, you know, rely on that. And we don't switch 00:20:43.859 --> 00:20:45.980 manufacturers very often. You know what I mean? 00:20:46.000 --> 00:20:51.519 We really try to, you know. You know, especially 00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:53.220 with Allied, though, their products are really 00:20:53.220 --> 00:20:56.220 good and they do focus on quality, whereas some 00:20:56.220 --> 00:20:58.940 may not focus as much. So I've heard that word 00:20:58.940 --> 00:21:02.079 quality a lot while I'm here. Yeah. Well, you 00:21:02.079 --> 00:21:03.880 can tell like when you're a service technician 00:21:03.880 --> 00:21:07.740 or a tech guy, when you open a piece of equipment 00:21:07.740 --> 00:21:09.539 and you look at it and you start going through 00:21:09.539 --> 00:21:11.119 it, you can tell really quickly. Let me touch 00:21:11.119 --> 00:21:13.640 it. Let me feel it. 100 percent. And the quality, 00:21:13.779 --> 00:21:17.779 how they do things, it's noticeable and it does 00:21:17.779 --> 00:21:20.299 make a difference. I really feel that, especially 00:21:20.299 --> 00:21:23.680 in today's market. Very good. Cool, man. Well, 00:21:23.720 --> 00:21:25.019 I really appreciate you hanging out with us today. 00:21:25.140 --> 00:21:27.720 Yeah, it was good, man. I appreciate it. And 00:21:27.720 --> 00:21:32.339 go Browns, right? No, I'm just kidding. We're 00:21:32.339 --> 00:21:34.559 going to win a game this year, I think. So there 00:21:34.559 --> 00:21:36.819 you go. All right. We'll appreciate that. All 00:21:36.819 --> 00:21:37.160 right. Thanks.