From Generalist to Specialist: How Focusing on All-Electric, All-Climate Heat Pumps Transformed My HVAC Business

I knew 2017 would be a pivotal year for Ductless Plus HVAC Systems, my Centennial, Colorado-based company that serves the metro-Denver area. This was the year I saw a significant push toward ductless heat pump technology, which would change the course of the business.

After working in the HVAC industry for 35 years, I researched heat pumps and became captivated by ductless mini-split systems as I learned about their unlimited potential. Ductless Plus, which I have owned since 2002, then went from being a one-in-a-thousand general HVAC contractor to a niche specialist that finds elegant ways to heat and cool people’s homes using all-electric, all-climate heat pumps.

Today, now that we’ve exclusively installed all-climate heat pump products for nearly eight years, business is thriving, customers are elated with the options we offer, and service calls are nearly zero because these HVAC solutions are so easy for homeowners to maintain.

Going All In on All-Climate Heat Pumps

I suggest HVAC contractors who are scrambling to master every aspect of boilers, furnaces, rooftop solutions, and other less efficient systems instead streamline their efforts. Our business has been more effective since simplifying services and doing one thing well. Rather than have an abundance of general knowledge on an array of HVAC products and brands, narrowing the focus allows me and my team to become specialized at our craft. It also allows us to carry fewer tools and parts. 

This is a major motive for choosing one brand of all-climate heat pump products. It simplifies business and has helped my company become more profitable. 

Consider these other reasons for exclusively installing all-climate heat pump solutions:

• There’s no need to run a flu pipe, gas line, or any additional infrastructure necessary to install conventional HVAC systems; and
• Consumers can easily clean the system’s reusable filters themselves. They still should have their condenser and evaporator checked and cleaned at least once a year by a licensed HVAC technician, especially during extreme weather conditions.

Doing What It Takes to Please Homeowners

The philosophy I’ve passed on to my team is to do whatever it takes to meet the customer’s HVAC needs, which go beyond just temperature control to aesthetics, too. We aren’t afraid to recommend an upgraded, but more appropriate, all-climate heat pump system if it will give our customers the right look and feel that they want. For instance, we often win business because we provide a variety of solutions for the homeowner. 

I was the eighth contractor to provide the owner of a 130-year-old, 10,000-square-foot home with a quote for an HVAC system. I won her business after spending two days walking, crawling, and navigating her home to suggest the best solution. After exploring the structure and truly listening to what she wanted, I suggested a ductless mini-split solution with ceiling cassettes to keep the style of the historic home intact. The finished job resulted in a grateful homeowner, even though it was an upgrade from the solutions provided by other contractors.