Every HVAC manufacturer, distributor, and contractor is aware of the growing labor shortage within the skilled trades industries. Most have been working to combat the shortage by getting creative in recruitment efforts — much like Daikin Applied did at the 2019 AHR Expo.

There is one trend CPS Products has noticed impacting the HVACR tools market above all others, and that is the progression of traditional tools becoming smart tools.

As HVAC products and home appliances get “smarter,” so too is the boiler — although perhaps with less flash and bang than the smart thermostat, smart doorbell, smartphone, or the new smart furniture that’s hitting the market. (Smart sofa, anyone? It’s a thing.)

The IoT and communicating equipment is pushing the next level of diagnostics for HVACR technicians. Onboard and advanced diagnostics are becoming more commonplace as technicians continue to redefine their daily diagnostic and troubleshooting challenges.

For decades, many company business models have remained the same. Run service calls one after the other, and fix or replace the equipment. This often results in companies barely surviving and a bleak outlook on the future.

Gone are the days of paper invoicing and technicians carrying pagers. Today, savvy contracting owners are implementing the use of intelligent products to simplify daily operations both in the field and the office.

There are a lot of variables that make it impossible to say there’s one product that’s better than all the rest in every situation; however, everyone has their favorite.

And the reason for all the hype is that the Daikin Fit does exactly what it says: It fits the comfort needs, budget barriers, and space constraints of homeowners who are looking to upgrade their HVAC systems without breaking the bank.

Honeywell will license its brand to Resideo under a long-term agreement for use in its home comfort, security hardware, and software solutions for all channels. So while the name “Honeywell Home” will be kept on the box, smart home products will exist under Resideo as a separate entity.

It’s a well-known fact that HVAC — the smart thermostat — is the first point of entry into smart-home sales. And with more than half of U.S. households predicted to own a smart speaker by 2022, according to a late 2017 study by Juniper Research, it’s a prime opportunity for HVAC contractors.