In this episode of the HVAC Know It All Business Edition Podcast, co-hosts Gary McCreadie and Furman Haynes from WorkHero welcome Eric Fitz, Co-founder, Co-CEO, and Chief Technology Officer at Amply Energy, Inc., and Ed Smith, Co-founder, Co-CEO, and Chief Customer Officer at Amply Energy, Inc., to discuss how contractors can adapt their sales and design processes for heat pumps. They explore why accurate load calculations matter, how visual design tools help homeowners understand recommendations, and how to make a longer assessment a clear point of difference. The discussion also covers charging for design work, setting expectations during intake, and matching sales responsibilities to the team's expertise.
Eric and Ed began with whole-home electrification projects across New England, combining weatherization, HVAC, heat pump water heaters, EV charging, solar, and batteries. Eric brought modeling and HVAC design experience, while Ed's learning process helped them identify where software needed to make that expertise easier to apply. Their work alongside installation partners exposed challenges in design and business operations, leading them to shift toward software that supports HVAC contractors.
Expect To Learn:
-Why Amply shifted from whole-home electrification projects to supporting HVAC contractors with design software.
-How Manual J defines a home's loads before equipment selection, regardless of the system being installed.
-Why heat pump selection requires balancing heating, cooling, moisture removal, and airflow requirements.
-How visual design information helps homeowners understand recommendations and share them with another decision-maker.
-How intake staff can explain a longer assessment and prepare homeowners for a more detailed visit.
-How to choose between paid diagnostics, charging for design documents, and including design in a free estimate.
-How accessible design tools can help less-experienced employees take on work that otherwise falls to the owner.
Timestamps:
00:00 - Episode introduction
00:57 - Guests introduction and Whole-Home Electrification Origins
04:37 - Why Amply Energy, Inc. Shifted to Supporting Contractors
05:34 - Making Design Faster, Accurate, and Visual
08:35 - Testing Software Through an Installation Business
10:04 - Preparing a Traditional HVAC Shop for Heat Pumps
11:11 - Manual J and Heat Pump Equipment Selection
13:49 - Assessment Time and Homeowner Engagement
15:36 - Setting Expectations During the Intake Call
17:16 - Options for Charging for Diagnostics and Design
18:38 - Helping Less-Experienced Staff Handle Design
Follow our Guests on LinkedIn:
Eric Fitz - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ehfitz/
Ed Smith - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ed-smith-5aa8716/
Follow Our Guest's Company Amply Energy, Inc.:
Follow Gary McCreadie:
Follow Furman Haynes:
