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The Future of App-Based Diagnosis w/ Jim Bergmann (Podcast)

By Jim Bergmann Bryan Orr

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Jim Bergmann gives us a year-end review of all that is happening at MeasureQuick and his predictions for the future of app-based diagnosis. He also covers what’s been going on with Redfish, BluFlame, BluVac, Supco, Testo, and Fieldpiece.

Diagnostic tools only work if the buyers understand how to use them. When apps can assist the tool buyers and users with diagnosis, the tool manufacturers can focus more on improving the technology; they can leave the software and education to mobile applications. Implementing gas appliance diagnostic education has been a challenge for Jim and other app developers. However, they are attempting to take app-based gas appliance diagnosis to the next level. The goal of diagnostic apps is to educate technicians about tools and readings and to make diagnoses more comprehensive.

From the start, one of MeasureQuick’s major focuses has been accessibility and ease of use. A diagnostic app that gives technicians a seamless way to take readings, store data, and learn about their measurements should be easy to use, so Jim has put a lot of work into making a user-friendly app. So, the next step for MeasureQuick in terms of accessibility will likely be to allow users to share data for remote viewing.

MeasureQuick has incorporated education on the basic refrigerant circuit, electrical components, gas appliances, and vacuum within the app. Soon, Jim would like MeasureQuick to expand into the refrigeration and geothermal sides of the HVAC/R world; he’d also like to implement project notes.

Jim and Bryan also discuss:

Monetizing diagnostic apps
Tying tools into diagnostic software
Wireless range and BlueTooth considerations
Working with programmers
How much might I invest in an app-based diagnosis app?
Third-party quality control
Future-proofing
Project or process-based functions
Integration
Electronic accessibility and pricing

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Author:

Jim Bergmann

Company: measureQuick

Position: President

Bryan Orr

Company: Kalos Services

Position: Co-Founder and President

Check out our most recent video

How to Evacuate an AC system, Full Vacuum Procedure

Our latest Podcast

HVAC School – For Techs, By Techs

Real training for HVAC ( Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration) Technicians. Including recorded tech training, interviews, diagnostics and general conversations about the trade.

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 Measure Quick 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

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

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