Deliver High Performance Heat Pump Retrofits w/ David Richardson

Heat pumps may be everywhere, but according to David Richardson, the industry is in danger of aiming at the wrong target. In this 2026 HVACR Training Symposium session, the Kentucky contractor’s son, who has never lived in a home without a heat pump, opens with the story of Olympic rifle shooter Matthew Emmons. Emmons hit the bullseye with perfect precision in 2004, only to discover he had fired at the wrong lane’s target. Richardson argues that contractors risk the same mistake when they treat the heat pump itself as the goal and market it with the same “magic” promises used in the 1970s, a pattern that led to poor installations and a reputation problem that has lasted 50 years.

The real target, Richardson says, is the customer, and the heat pump is only one ring on that target alongside ductwork, the building envelope, equipment sizing, noise, and expectations. He distinguishes between HVAC equipment, which anyone can sell, and the HVAC system, which is where a contractor’s skill and craftsmanship show up. Average installations, he notes, deliver roughly 57% of rated performance, while a high-performance retrofit aims for 88% or better. With “free heat pump” offers likely coming next, he urges contractors to differentiate through engagement, education, clear expectations, and measured results, ending with what he calls a “craftsmanship receipt.”

The heart of the talk is five practical tips. First, learn what the customer is really after and set expectations early, including what a defrost cycle looks like. Second, don’t inherit a bad duct system, and use pressure, airflow, and temperature measurements to find problems before they become yours. Third, don’t inherit a bad building, since the structure works like a duct system and can undermine a perfect install. Fourth, bring the customer along by putting simple tools in their hands, such as a thermal camera or flow hood, and translating data into plain language. Fifth, follow a repeatable process that defines where testing begins and where additional paid services start.

Richardson closes with a call to document lessons learned, including mistakes, and to build these practices into company culture. His message is that heat pumps aren’t magic, but they can perform as if they were when installed well and priced to reflect the work. The session wraps with audience questions.

Topics Covered

• The Olympic shooter analogy: precision aimed at the wrong target
• History of heat pumps, the 1970s energy crisis, and early marketing hype
• Why heat pumps shouldn’t be treated as a silver bullet, and the “silver buckshot” approach
• HVAC equipment versus the HVAC system
• Installation performance benchmarks: roughly 57% for average work, about 6% more for code-approved work, and a goal of 88% or better
• The three E’s: engagement, education, and expectations, plus measured results
• The craftsmanship receipt and verification: “if you don’t test, you’re just guessing”
• Setting customer expectations, including cold-climate performance and defrost
• Right-sizing and the pitfalls of oversized equipment, even with inverter technology
• Testing for pressure, airflow, and temperature (PAT) and not inheriting bad ductwork
• Building science basics: leakage, room pressures, blower doors, and thermal imaging
• Using Socratic questions and plain language to involve the customer
• Avoiding data overload and using tools like measureQuick and the TrueFlow Grid
• Following a process and getting paid for diagnostics, basic versus advanced retrofits
• Learning from mistakes and changing company culture

This episode contains embedded sponsor messages from Refrigeration Technologies, Carrier, NAVAC, and Filtrete.

Resources

• National Comfort Institute (NCI) website
• HVAC School calculators
• Submit a podcast question
• Learn about the GRIT Foundation

Purchase your tickets or learn more about the 8th Annual HVACR Training Symposium at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium.