TruTech Tools, LTD

06/25/2026

“Noise annoyance may be one of the things people are most passionate about.”

BHS 275 | The Sound of Better Buildings with Kieren McCord

In this episode of the Building HVAC Science Podcast, Bill Spohn welcomes Kieren McCord, a research scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, for a conversation about indoor environmental quality, acoustic comfort, and the often-overlooked benefits of building performance upgrades. Kieren shares her path from music and acoustics to building science, explaining how sound, comfort, air quality, thermal resilience, and human perception intersect in homes.

The conversation explores how energy upgrades such as better windows, tighter envelopes, and improved insulation can create benefits beyond lower utility bills. Kieren explains how acoustic performance is measured, why low-frequency sound is difficult to block, how decibel weightings like dBA and dBZ work, and why human response to noise can be highly personal. She also discusses the promise and limitations of smartphone-based sound measurements, including the potential for making acoustic data collection more accessible to HERS© raters and home performance professionals.

Kieren also shares details from recent field research on a Chicago window retrofit, in which triple-pane acoustic windows and careful installation resulted in a 35% reduction in whole-home air leakage. While the noise data is still being processed, the study aims to link measurable building improvements to homeowners' perceptions of comfort, quiet, smell, temperature, and overall livability. Her closing message is a call for more shared field data, more collaboration, and a stronger connection between academic research and the practical work being done every day by contractors, raters, and building performance professionals.

Search Building HVAC Science in your podcast app for the full episode!

06/24/2026

Quality tools and essential support in action: Josh Crawley recently walked the TTTeam through blower door basics and best practices so we can continue providing the support our customers count on.

06/24/2026

06/22/2026

TruTech Tools, LTD has always stood behind us and also alongside us in our mission of increasing education within the HVACR industry. Bill Spohn and Billy Spohn have led the way by making themselves available to others, providing educational opportunities, and providing deep care for those who are aspiring to help push our industry forward. Their commitment and support to many other people and educational organizations is just unparalleled.

Trutechtools may be one of the best resources for purchasing tools but at its core is a desire to help and support people well. Somehow I believe they have accomplished more in helping education and rising caring talented people to the surface even more than the heart of their business which is selling tools. Their ethos is right, "quality tools, essential support". I just don't know if they recognize how important their essential support to our industry has been and the effect they have!

Sincerely,
Craig Migliaccio

06/22/2026

Happy National HVAC Tech Day! From all of us at TruTech Tools, thanks for everything you do to keep people comfortable, and for letting us help you get the job done.

Through June 22, all orders placed while logged in to your account earn 2x TruRewards in honor of National HVAC Tech Day!

06/18/2026

06/18/2026

06/15/2026

“Stop trying to HVAC your way out of bad buildings, and your results will market themselves.”

BHS 274 | The Heat Pump Summit Is Building More Than Better Systems with Brent Davidson

In this episode, Bill Spohn welcomes back Brent Davidson of the US Heat Pump Summit for his third appearance.

Brent shares what emerged from the first full-scale national Heat Pump Summit held in Massachusetts in November 2025, including the strong appetite among contractors for practical, business-focused heat pump education. The event is designed not as a policy forum or sales-heavy conference, but as a contractor-facing gathering where HVAC and plumbing professionals can learn how to build stronger, more profitable businesses around heat pumps, building science, and quality installation practices.

Brent also discusses the launch of The Heat Pump Edge, a twice-weekly newsletter that extends the Summit’s mission year-round by profiling successful contractors and sharing practical takeaways that others can apply in their own businesses. The conversation highlights contractors who are growing through training, word of mouth, building science, and better customer outcomes, not just bigger marketing budgets. Brent emphasizes that the best heat pump businesses are often led by people willing to share openly, train deeply, and professionalize the trades from the inside out.

The episode closes with a look ahead to the next U.S. Heat Pump Summit, scheduled for September 15–16, 2026, in Worcester, Massachusetts. Brent describes the event as a place for motivated contractors to bring real business challenges, meet peers, learn from successful operators, and connect with exhibitors focused on the future of residential heat pumps. Bill sums it up with a very Pittsburgh-flavored thought: if your business needs help, look for the helpers at the Heat Pump Summit.

Search Building HVAC Science in your podcast app for the full episode!