14 Tips to Protect Your Business from Ransomware Attacks
Ransomware attacks are the fastest growing malware threats. Ransomware, a type of malicious software that infects and restricts access to a computer until a ransom is paid, affects businesses of all sizes. The good news is that there are best practices you can adopt to protect your business. Implement an awareness and training program. Because end users are targets, employees should be aware of the threat of ransomware and how it is delivered. Enable strong spam filters to prevent phishing emails (an attempt to obtain sensitive information electronically) from reaching employees and authenticate inbound email using technologies like Sender Policy Framework (SPF), Domain [...]
5 Best Risk Management Strategies
Being in business is exciting, but it also means facing challenges and risks every day. These risks and threats to your business can come from innumerable sources, including economic conditions, lawsuits, competitors and the weather. To be able to sleep at night, it’s essential that you adopt a variety of risk management strategies. These are designed to avert catastrophe and provide you with protection to the extent possible. There’s no single action to shield you from the consequences of risks to your business. You need to take a holistic approach and cover your bases. Here are five strategies to consider. Choice of Entity [...]
It’s Time to Update or Implement a Disaster Plan for Your Small Business
In a world where there are so many unknowns, it’s important that small business owners make sure they have up-to-date disaster plans in place. Things to consider If disaster strikes, how would you contact your employees, customers, and vendors? How would your employees reach you? Does your business have the necessary insurance to cover damage from a natural disaster? How would you keep up with your business records and how long would it take to reopen if you were forced to close? What if you were not able to resume normal operations? With these questions in mind, consider the following tips from the [...]
The Cutting-Edge Future of Indoor Air Quality Measurement
One of the often-cited challenges for air duct cleaners is testing or measuring indoor air contaminants. There’s the process of taking the air samples, then sending them off and awaiting the results. The waiting game has long been just another part of doing business. Now, imagine if you could walk into a building or home, conduct an instant particle count and profile and immediately identify what particles are in the space and the possible sources of those particles. Mark Hernandez, PhD, PE, professor of civil, environmental and architectural engineering at the University of Colorado in Boulder, has been conducting research with the technology [...]
Four Ways to Practice Work-Life Balance in Your Small Business
Many small business owners will tell you the rise of the internet has changed how they work. Newer entrepreneurs may not even be able to imagine moving about their day without email, social media or mobile banking. But while these tools make it easier to do business in many ways, the pressure of always being “on” can amplify stress for small business owners. Time management can be particularly challenging for entrepreneurs who may be building a business while keeping another job, raising a family or pursuing education. If you’re feeling the pressure, try one or more of these time-management techniques to help you [...]
Sources of Contamination in HVAC Systems
To perform effective duct cleaning, it’s important to know what gets into a system and why. Contaminants can enter an HVAC system in a variety of ways, and can not only cause mold growth and unwanted odors in the system, but possibly affect air quality as well. As a professional air duct cleaner, you need to know where contaminants might enter the system, how to identify any contaminants present, and what to do to prevent them from infiltrating the system in the future. Types of Contaminants “Basically, anything and everything that can become airborne is a potential contaminant within an HVAC system,” said [...]
Become a Lead Generation Machine: Expert tips to maximize your lead generating efforts
Outside of managing the bottom line, employees and facilities, business owners are often tasked with a critical mission: generating leads that drive revenue for the business. From commercial to residential jobs, it’s all about finding opportunities to capitalize on, because no matter how good the work you do is, you can’t do it without customers. But there are some simple and effective steps you can take to generate new business — and you can get started right away. Travis Petersen, the owner and CEO of Wind River Marketing, has tips on some of the best ways to spend your lead generation time and [...]
Five Things to Know about Your Balance Sheet
A balance sheet is an important financial statement for every business, and it’s essential that business owners understand what goes into a balance sheet, and what it can tell you about the financial health of your business. 1) What a Balance Sheet is All About A balance sheet is a statement of a business’s assets, liabilities, and owner’s equity. Typically, a balance sheet is prepared at the end of a pre-determined period, such as every month, quarter, or year. A balance sheet comprises two columns. The column on the left lists the assets of the company, and the column on the right lists [...]
Diligence Pays when Defending Your Business Against Identify Theft
Identity theft is big business and can have a significant impact on your organization should you fall victim to it. Scammers are finding new ways every day to impersonate businesses, while hiding behind technology to avoid being tracked and prosecuted. These scammers commit business identify theft in many ways, and keeping up with it can be daunting. Read on for some of the most common ways impostors can steal your identity. Online Impersonation: Scammers impersonate a business on social media – especially in Facebook buy, sell, and trade groups – to hijack prospective customers and ultimately rip them off. Financial and Tax Fraud: Scammers commit [...]
Five Customer Service Processes You Know You Should Do (But Don’t)
If you’re like most business owners, you would agree that if there was one thing you wish you could have more of in your job, it’s time. If you made a list right now of all the things you should be doing, but don’t do because of a lack of time, well, it would be a long list. In fact, you might not even have time to make the list! As much as our job depends on customer service, it’s unfortunate that we sometimes don’t even have time for that. It’s not about the actual work you do for customers; it’s the actual “customer service” side [...]
Cleaning Open Air Plenums
Air duct cleaners will inevitably encounter plenum spaces — also called open air plenums or air voids — at some point in their career. These open spaces, designed to facilitate air transfer for HVAC systems, may exist between a structural ceiling and dropped ceiling, under a raised floor, or between walls, and can be incredibly dangerous for technicians to clean.About Plenum SpacesWhile plenum spaces are difficult spaces to define, explain, and clean, be careful not to confuse open air plenums with plenum boxes, which connect to the supply or return ducts leading to or from an air handling unit.“This is a very tough [...]
Protecting Your Business Interests when Employees Leave
Business owners pour time, money, and focus into their business. They invest in their employees, provide them with training and certification, and offer them upward mobility within the company. Inevitably, however, they may lose those employees to a competitor, or an employee may leave the company to start their own business. Employee retention is an ongoing challenge, and at times, it can be devastating. The reality is there is no surefire way to prevent an employee from leaving. But business owners can take some steps to protect their business interests when an employee chooses to leave. Read on for five ways to protect your business [...]
Fundamentals of a High-Velocity Air Duct System
This article (originally posted on NADCA.com) is a recap of a conference session on the Fundamentals of High-Velocity Air Duct Systems from David Monson. After reading this article, you will: Know how high-pressure systems relate to high-velocity systems. Know the components of high-velocity system designs. Know how to clean and troubleshoot cleaning high-velocity systems. What is a high-velocity system? First, let’s talk about high-pressure vs. high-velocity systems. Professionals familiar with high-pressure systems may think that they are already aware of high-velocity systems. However, there are marked differences between these two systems. For instance, which holds more air? Eleven 55-gallon drums or a [...]
Where Do We Go from Here?
Around this time in 2019, no one would have ever dreamed that a pandemic was in our midst that would not only change our lives tremendously but would turn everyday conversation about indoor air quality (IAQ) on its head. Sure, before the pandemic, there were discussions about IAQ to a certain degree, and the effect of poor IAQ on health was always part of the conversation. But the pandemic made indoor air quality top-of-mind around the world. As companies attempt to bring staff back to the office and students have slowly returned to the classroom, it seems everyone is talking about filters, ventilation, [...]
The Truth About Disinfection
As we continue living with the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more duct cleaners are fielding calls about sanitizing and disinfecting ductwork to help combat the virus in addition to regular cleaning requests. While sanitizing and disinfecting ductwork seems like a no-brainer to the untrained consumer — especially in light of guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO) about airborne transmission of the coronavirus — what, exactly, constitutes disinfecting and sanitizing ductwork? Touting disinfection and sanitizing services for air duct cleaning, or accepting a job to do just that, creates a problematic situation for air duct cleaners that must be navigated carefully. The Industry’s [...]
End-of-Year Downtime? Here are 40 Ideas for Catching up on Marketing!
Indoor air quality has been a buzzy topic for quite some time, but COVID-19 made it front-and-center, for homeowners and facility managers alike. Regardless of added demand, most HVAC inspection, cleaning, and restoration businesses may enter a slower season as the holidays ramble on. Why not take advantage of downtime and catch up on a few marketing activities that have been on the back burner? Here are 40 things to do during downtime that will have a big impact. Your Customers Schedule catch-up calls or lunch with your biggest clients to see how you can better serve them in the coming year. Reach [...]
Air Quality May Affect Employees’ Cognition and Productivity
According to new research led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the air quality within an office can have a significant impact on employees’ cognitive function, including response times and ability to focus, and it may also affect their productivity. The one-year study, which included participants in offices across six countries working in a variety of fields, including engineering, real estate investment, architecture and technology, found that increased concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and lower ventilation rates (measured using carbon dioxide (CO2) levels as a proxy) were associated with slower response times and reduced accuracy on a series of cognitive [...]
Healthier Buildings Top the List of Back-to-Work Priorities
It’s hard to believe that 19 months into the COVID-19 pandemic, staffers of many businesses across the globe haven’t actually returned to the office. According to a recent Gallup poll, 7 in 10 white-collar workers in the U.S. are still working remotely. Before the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announcement in May 2021 that fully vaccinated people can forgo masks in most settings, the majority of U.S. workers reported doing their jobs remotely during the pandemic, including 51% in April. But this varied widely by job type, including 72% of white-collar workers and 14% of blue-collar workers. These rates have been [...]
Understanding Air Balancing and How Air Duct Cleaning Can Have a Big Impact on Air Flow and System Efficiency
The comfort and safety of building occupants relies not only on the mechanics of an HVAC system functioning properly — it also relies on the even distribution and flow of air through spaces. During cooler months, occupants desire warm spaces throughout a building, while in warmer months they seek cooler air. Uneven airflow can cause spaces to become uncomfortable, or even unsafe, as particulate, pathogens, or other pollutants build up, while inefficient systems increase energy consumption. Air balancing ensures that airflow is even throughout building spaces, providing comfortable and safe conditions for occupants and maximizing energy efficiency. How Air Balancing Works Air balancing tests [...]
Could ‘Gen Z” Be the Solution for the Skills Gap?
It’s back-to-school time, and thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, things look a lot different than years past. As parents and students grapple with this “new normal,” many are questioning what’s next from an education standpoint. Some recent high school graduates, all part of Generation Z, are exploring opportunities they may not have considered before – careers in the skilled trades. According to two recent studies by ECMC Group, a nonprofit corporation focused on helping students succeed, Generation Z (born between 1995 and 2015 – and nearly 74 million strong in the U.S.) has expressed interest in the skilled trades. While American teenagers [...]
Disinfection: UV Lighting is no Substitute for Duct Cleaning!
Disinfection of airborne pathogens and the use of ultraviolet type C (UVC) radiation generated by UVC lamps is a hot topic in the fight against the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19). However, after examining several key reports and research on the topic, NADCA’s position on this is clear. As stated in our “Ultraviolet Lighting Applications in HVAC Systems” white paper on the topic, “Ultraviolet lighting does not clean HVAC systems, and should not be used as a substitute for HVAC cleaning.”It is generally agreed that source removal of contaminants is still the single best method for cleaning and decontaminating HVAC systems. Although [...]
How Everyday Household Items Affect Your Indoor Air Quality
As a homeowner, you should be aware of any items that could have a negative impact on your indoor air quality and how they might be harmful. This knowledge can help you make educated decisions when selecting the products you use in your home. The result? A cleaner and healthier indoor environment for you and your family. Common, everyday items that people use to keep their homes feeling fresh and clean but could be harming the air quality include: Scented candles Air fresheners Cleaning products Open paint cans Upholstered furniture All of these products, among many others, produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which contribute [...]
“Back to School” on Cleaning Scams
There’s a lot of talk about indoor air quality these days, and more and more households are exploring options for HVAC system cleaning. When it comes to the home improvement and repair industry, most contractors out there take great pride in a job well done, and are honest and fair. But like any industry, air duct cleaning is not immune to scammers who set out to take advantage of unsuspecting homeowners. In fact, the industry is plagued with fraudulent service providers eager to cheat homeowners. And now, with the COVID-19 pandemic dragging on and on, swindlers are on the prowl to an even [...]
5 Signs Your Air Ducts Need Cleaning
Despite routinely replacing filters, your home’s heating and cooling system gets dirty with regular everyday use, and unfortunately, your air ducts are a favorite hiding place for dust, dirt, and allergens to linger. That dust and dirt are filled with contaminants and air pollutants that can not only harm your indoor air quality, but can also cause your system to work really hard. All that hard work not only increases your energy bills, but it can significantly shorten the lifespan of your HVAC system. Just like your car or any major appliance, your home’s heating and cooling system will perform better with regular [...]
Cheaper Isn’t Better When It Comes to Air Duct Cleaning
There’s a lot of talk about indoor air quality these days, and more and more households are exploring options for HVAC system cleaning. While it may feel like no cost is too high for cleaner, healthier air, the reality is that budget-conscious families want to get the best bang for their buck. While air duct cleaning isn’t cheap (when it’s done right), it also won’t break the bank. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), duct cleaning services typically – but not always – range in cost from $450 to $1,000 for each heating and cooling system. Naturally, several factors influence cost, [...]