HVAC Is Changing Fast: The 2026 Slowdown, AI, Culture & the Technician Shortage

The Beer Can Cold Podcast is back. This week, JG and Will sit down with Brian and Carrie Ivester, owners of Anderson Heating & Cooling, a woman- and veteran-owned HVAC company serving the Charlotte, North Carolina area.

We dig into what HVAC contractors are actually dealing with in 2026: slowing call volume, changing consumer behavior, the technician shortage, recruiting and training young technicians, HVAC marketing during the shoulder season, maintenance agreements, customer retention, company culture, and the growing pressure from DIY repairs and big-box stores.

We also have a candid conversation about AI in the HVAC and home service industry. Can AI answering services replace CSRs? Should an HVAC company use AI to answer after-hours calls? Both Anderson Heating & Cooling and Boer Brothers have experimented with technology and outside call centers, but the conversation keeps coming back to the importance of having a real person available when a customer needs help.

Brian and Carrie share how Anderson Heating & Cooling recruits and develops technicians, including hands-on HVAC training that allows young technicians to troubleshoot real equipment and learn by doing.

Carrie also breaks down how Anderson approaches company culture, employee recognition and team events. From summer kickoffs and family events to what they call "Carrie's Stupid Fun," they've intentionally built a workplace where people can enjoy being part of the company.

We also discuss one of the biggest questions facing HVAC contractors: how do you generate revenue when the phone stops ringing?

The conversation covers outbound calling, following up on old estimates and technician recommendations, maintenance customers, cloverleafing, door knocking, customer retention and finding opportunities already sitting inside your existing database.

Then we tackle HVAC pricing and the rise of DIY repairs. If a homeowner can buy a capacitor online for $45, why does a professional HVAC repair cost more? The answer involves technician training, diagnostics, trucks, tools, insurance, warranties, overhead and having a qualified professional available when something goes wrong.

Brian and Carrie also share how Anderson Heating & Cooling gives back to the veteran community by donating complete HVAC systems to deserving veterans.

This episode is for HVAC contractors, home service business owners, technicians, service managers, comfort advisors, CSRs, dispatchers and anyone trying to build a better company in the skilled trades.

And because this is Beer Can Cold, we eventually get to the question that matters most:

Do you believe in Bigfoot?

Subscribe to Beer Can Cold for real conversations about HVAC, home services, leadership, company culture, technician training, marketing and running a contracting business.

HASHTAGS

#HVAC #HVACBusiness #HVACContractor #HomeServices #HVACTechnician #HVACTraining #HVACMarketing #SkilledTrades #ContractorLife #HomeServiceBusiness #HVACIndustry #HVACLife #HVACService #HVACSales #BeerCanCold

YOUTUBE KEYWORDS / TAGS

HVAC, HVAC business, HVAC podcast, HVAC contractor, HVAC contractors, HVAC business owner, HVAC industry, HVAC 2026, HVAC slowdown, HVAC market 2026, HVAC technician, HVAC technician shortage, HVAC recruiting, HVAC hiring, HVAC technician training, HVAC apprenticeship, HVAC training, HVAC service, HVAC sales, HVAC marketing, HVAC marketing strategies, HVAC maintenance agreements, HVAC membership program, HVAC customer service, HVAC call center, HVAC dispatch, AI in HVAC, HVAC AI, AI answering service, AI phone answering, home services AI, home service business, home service podcast, home service marketing, contractor business, contractor podcast, skilled trades, skilled trades podcast, company culture, HVAC company culture, HVAC leadership, HVAC management, HVAC pricing, HVAC capacitor, DIY HVAC, HVAC customer retention, HVAC outbound calling, HVAC lead generation, shoulder season HVAC, Anderson Heating and Cooling, Beer Can Cold Podcast

What is it really like to be an HVAC technician during one of the hottest summers on record?

In this episode of the Beer Can Cold Podcast, we sit down with Jason Harmon of Anderson Heating & Cooling for an honest conversation straight from the service van. From scorching attics and flooded crawl spaces to customer expectations and long summer days, Jason shares what life is really like on the front lines of the HVAC industry.

We also discuss:

• Working through extreme heat and high call volumes • Why skilled trades are one of the best career opportunities today • The importance of work ethic and company culture • Honest repairs versus unnecessary upselling • How homeowners can avoid costly mistakes when choosing an HVAC contractor • Equipment reliability and today's refrigerant changes • Why trust is the foundation of every successful service call • What the future looks like for technicians entering the trade

Whether you're an HVAC technician, contractor, business owner, apprentice, or homeowner, this episode offers practical insights and real-world experiences from professionals who live it every day.

If you enjoy honest conversations about the skilled trades, subscribe to the Beer Can Cold Podcast for new episodes featuring industry leaders, technicians, and business owners who are shaping the future of HVAC.

HVAC podcast, HVAC technician, HVAC life, HVAC service, air conditioning repair, AC repair, heating and cooling, HVAC business, HVAC training, HVAC careers, skilled trades, blue collar careers, residential HVAC, commercial HVAC, service technician, HVAC maintenance, heat wave, summer HVAC, HVAC diagnostics, customer service, HVAC industry, HVAC contractor, work ethic, technician life, Beer Can Cold Podcast, Jason Harmon, Anderson Heating & Cooling, honest HVAC, refrigerant changes, HVAC repair

#BeerCanColdPodcast #HVAC #HVACTechnician #HVACLife #HeatingAndCooling #AirConditioning #ACRepair #HVACService #SkilledTrades #BlueCollar #HVACBusiness #WorkEthic #ServiceTech #Homeowners #ConstructionLife #TradesLife #HVACTraining #SummerHeat #Podcast #RealTalk

What is it really like to be an HVAC technician during one of the hottest summers on record?

In this episode of the Beer Can Cold Podcast, we sit down with Jason Harmon of Anderson Heating & Cooling for an honest conversation straight from the service van. From scorching attics and flooded crawl spaces to customer expectations and long summer days, Jason shares what life is really like on the front lines of the HVAC industry.

We also discuss:

• Working through extreme heat and high call volumes

• Why skilled trades are one of the best career opportunities today

• The importance of work ethic and company culture

• Honest repairs versus unnecessary upselling

• How homeowners can avoid costly mistakes when choosing an HVAC contractor

• Equipment reliability and today's refrigerant changes

• Why trust is the foundation of every successful service call

• What the future looks like for technicians entering the trade

Whether you're an HVAC technician, contractor, business owner, apprentice, or homeowner, this episode offers practical insights and real-world experiences from professionals who live it every day.

If you enjoy honest conversations about the skilled trades, subscribe to the Beer Can Cold Podcast for new episodes featuring industry leaders, technicians, and business owners who are shaping the future of HVAC.

Keywords

HVAC podcast, HVAC technician, HVAC life, HVAC service, air conditioning repair, AC repair, heating and cooling, HVAC business, HVAC training, HVAC careers, skilled trades, blue collar careers, residential HVAC, commercial HVAC, service technician, HVAC maintenance, heat wave, summer HVAC, HVAC diagnostics, customer service, HVAC industry, HVAC contractor, work ethic, technician life, Beer Can Cold Podcast, Jason Harmon, Anderson Heating & Cooling, honest HVAC, refrigerant changes, HVAC repair

Hashtags

#BeerCanColdPodcast

#HVAC

#HVACTechnician

#HVACLife

#HeatingAndCooling

#AirConditioning

#ACRepair

#HVACService

#SkilledTrades

#BlueCollar

#HVACBusiness

#WorkEthic

#ServiceTech

#Homeowners

#ConstructionLife

#TradesLife

#HVACTraining

#SummerHeat

#Podcast

#RealTal