Heat Exchanger

Essentials for the

Non-Technician
Michelle Poniewozik
LDT 7111
Fall 2020

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Company “Making our clients comfortable by
Mission getting their lives back to normal.”
Statement

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 How can non-technician team members act with urgency to get the
clients’ lives back to normal by making them comfortable when they
do not know the basics of HVAC technology?

Problem

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 Heat Exchanger Essentials for the Non-Technician
Solution (HE2NT)

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 HE2NT
An interactive learning experience where learners
What is participate in activities designed to
HE2NT?
gain knowledge grow confidence
Improve personal performance

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 Developed specifically for Non-Technicians working in the HVAC
industry

What is
HE2NT?

Learners create job aides and practice using them in order to extend
and transfer knowledge for immediate on-the-job impact

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 Knowledge
Synthesize
How
HE2NT works Apply

Gain

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 The Cycle of Poor Performance

Without
HE2NT

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 The Cycle of High Performance

With
HE2NT

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Meet the
Learners!

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 Lori is fresh to the HVAC industry. She is not afraid to talk to people and
Loving Life Lori Comfort Club
Membership Specialist ask for the sale
She is not a homeowner so she has not had to deal with any furnace
maintenance, break downs or safety concerns

This presents an opportunity for Lori to grow through learning the basics
of HVAC technology

Lori wants to feel more confident in the work she is asked to do

Lori gets overwhelmed easily so taking the learning in chunks and

allowing her to master one skill before another would be a useful
approach

She is motivated by money

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 Core responsibility is scheduling tech leads and 2 nd opinions. This is
Difficult Dora, Sales Lead
Coordinator significant because the majority of these leads are due to heat exchanger
failure
Dora has had little to no formal training; there is opportunity for learning
to be rooted in clearly defined outcomes and assessments
One main learning outcome for Dora’s position is to understand HVAC
furnace basics and how Replacement Opportunities are generated
Empathy for the Lead Coordinator can help the customer to feel at ease in
a very difficult situation
She loves customer service and wants customers to be happy
She is insecure when it comes to perfection and not getting everything
100% right all of the time.

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 Erin’s manager is often not in the office making it difficult for Erin to
Erin in-an-office-all-her-own receive direction on how to do her job, let alone how to grow into her full
Dispatch Specialist
potential
Erin works with parts and components of HVAC equipment every day and
has not had one training on the basics of HVAC technology
Erin is a quick learner; motivated by problem solving
Her voice is noticeably young; she may not present herself maturely on
the phone
The instructional implications of her maturity involve teaching empathy
towards homeowners dealing with unexpected breakdowns and high
repairs
Clear expectations and regular feedback with a manager could facilitate
growth in maturity and professionalism
Positive reinforcement is an effective and motivating reward

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 Rishelle’s day involves ordering equipment, submitting financing
Rishelle The Big Picture
Thinker Sales Administrator documents and managing the administration of the sales and installs
She also submits warranty parts for credit and manages the inventory
stock of furnaces, air conditioners, coils, water heaters and boilers
Through on-the-job experience, Rishelle has learned the “2 nd Opinion”
process
She has had very little formal training on Heat Exchanger Essentials –
definitions, consequences, and preventative maintenance.
Her dream is to continue to learn and contribute in any way she can.
Course participation could heighten her engagement with the company,
which would add value to her role as well as increase her enjoyment
She hates feeling stupid. She avoids talking to customers because she
does not know the answer. Growing her confidence would her fears of
appearing stupid which is a big win for employee morale

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 Advise a typical homeowner how
preventative maintenance can
prevent premature heat
exchanger failure

Describe the cause of

heat exchanger failure

Define heat exchanger Synthesize

Content failure and consequences

Outline Explain the function of a

Apply
heat exchanger

Gain
State the basic sequence
of operations of a
standard gas furnace

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Learning  Learning Outcome: Using the diagram provided learners correctly
Segment 1 state the basic sequence of operations of a standard gas furnace
using simple language
 Activity: The facilitator leads the drawing of the diagram on the
State the basic whiteboard and engages the learners on how they can use this
sequence of operations diagram in their daily work and interaction with clients. To bring
of a standard gas the sequence of operations to life, the learners act-out a short
furnace movie-script in which the components are personified.
 Assessment: Learners correctly draw the diagram of a furnace,
labeling the 6 active components involved in the basic sequence of
Time operations and identifying the 2 stationary components.
20 minutes

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Learning  Learning Outcome: Learners accurately explain the function of a
heat exchanger using simple language
Segment 2  Activity: The facilitator provides the definition (see below). The
learners team-up and role-play teaching this definition to a client
Explain the function of or a fellow team member using the diagram.
a heat exchanger  Assessment: Learners explain to a peer how gas, fumes and heat
move through the heat exchanger using notes/the diagram. The
learner needs to correctly complete the activity twice.
Time
15 minutes The function of a heat exchanger is to contain the gas and fumes that
should not go into the home while conducting said heat from the
flames using the blower motor into the home.

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  Learning Outcome: Learners accurately define heat exchanger
failure and consequences using simple language
 Activity: The facilitator provides the definition and the learners
Learning fill-out the table to use as an on-the-job resource. Learners are
encouraged to put the definition in their own words.
Segment 3  Assessment: Learners fill-in accurate definitions on a provided
reference table that they will use for future reference and recall of
Define heat exchanger facts.
Heat Exchanger Failure
failure and Definition Consequence
consequences  
An abnormality- defect, crack or hole-
-Carbon Monoxide (CO) potentially
leaked into the home
that was not there when it came from the  
factory -Overheating and rollout issues leaving
  client without heat
Time
For more information visit: Mayo Clinic Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
15 minutes  
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/carbon-monoxide/symptoms-cause
s/syc-20370642

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  Learning Outcome: Using the flow diagram provided learners
correctly describe the cause of heat exchanger failure using simple
Learning language
Segment 4  Activity: The flow diagram provided is shown on the overhead.
The flow is discussed. Each learner now writes down each step of
the process on separate note cards. The overhead screen is
Describe the cause of turned-off. Learners are asked to shuffle their cards, order the
heat exchanger failure cards in the correct process flow and explain why the steps are in
this order.
 Assessment: Learners accurately describe the cause of heat
Time exchanger failure by properly ordering the steps of the process
25 minutes and explaining to their peers the impact of each step.

Lack of Expands/ “I Can't do

Lack of Airflow Overheats this anymore" Cracks/Breaks
Maintenance Contracts

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Learning
 Role Play 1: Homeowner received PTU postcard, calls in and asks,
Segment 5 “I received the postcard for your tune-up special. What’s included
in a tune-up?
Advise a typical  Role Play 2: Anniversary date of install. Complimentary member.
homeowner how Does not want to renew membership. Homeowner states, “My
equipment is brand new, why do I have to have it maintained?”
preventative
maintenance can  Role Play 3: New client. Just moved in to his/her home.
Scheduling a PTU. Furnace is about 5 years old. No records of
prevent premature maintenance. New to the area. Homeowner calls in, “Hello. I just
heat exchanger failure moved into the home and I see your trucks all of the time. I am a
new homeowner so I don’t know much about taking care of a
Time furnace. Where do I start?”
30 minutes

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Learning  Learning Outcome: Learners advise a typical homeowner how
Segment 5 preventative maintenance can prevent premature heat exchanger
failure using the words “dirt”, “airflow”, and “protect” to
substantiate their argument.
Advise a typical  Activity: Learners role-play with each other to prompts given by
homeowner how the facilitator. Learners are encouraged to use all of their notes
preventative and diagrams and to draft their own key-word scripts for on-the-
maintenance can job use. The facilitator roams the room providing feedback and
encouragement and advises the learners when to switch from
prevent premature role-play to role-play.
heat exchanger failure
 Assessment: A rubric is used to asses the learners in correctly
reciting facts, applying the facts, engaging with enthusiasm and
Time switching pitches as the conversation moves along.
30 minutes

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 Opener

Activity-
Facilitator: Can anyone draw a diagram of what the inside of a
Learning furnace looks like?
Segment 1 Learners Respond
Facilitator: At the end of this activity ALL of you will be able to draw
a diagram of what the inside of a furnace looks like! This is an
Basic Sequence opportunity for you to acquire Furnace Core Competency
knowledge that you can use to improve & enhance your own job
of Operations of experience and performance. I will walk you through the steps so
a Standard Gas that we all finish this activity by being able to correctly recite the
sequence of operations using our diagram as an aid. Let’s get
Furnace started!

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 Part I

Activity-
Learning
Segment 1

Basic Sequence
of Operations of
a Standard Gas
Furnace
The facilitator draws a simple diagram of a furnace on the white board
labeling the 6 active components and 2 stationary components.

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 Part I

Activity-
Learning Facilitator: The thermostat calls for heat. The inducer motor kicks
Segment 1 on. The pressure switch closes, signaling there is likely no major
safety concern. The ignitor fires. The gas valve opens, igniting the
burners. The heat exchanger conducts heat and filters the safe heat
from the unsafe heat. The blower motor moves the hot air into the
Basic Sequence home.
of Operations of
a Standard Gas
Furnace
Referencing the diagram, the facilitator explains the basic sequence of
operations of a standard gas furnace using simple language.

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 Part II
Facilitator: Now let’s bring this to life! Let’s imagine we are all in
Activity- Hollywood starring in the new hit movie Basic Furnace Operations.
Let’s assign roles…
Learning Roles are assigned and the learners engage in “acting out” the movie
Segment 1 script. Learners stay in their seats.
Roles
Thermostat
Basic Sequence Inducer Motor
Pressure Switch
of Operations of Ignitor
Gas Valve
a Standard Gas Blower Motor
Furnace Narrator
The 6 active components are personified and given speaking parts as in a movie script.
Learners are assigned “roles” and act-out the dialogue.

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 Script
Thermostat calls for heat
THERMOSTAT
Activity- Yo! Yo! Yo! It’s Cold!

Inducer Motor kicks on

Learning INDUCER MOTOR
Everything’s ok! Let’s go!

Segment 1 Pressure Switch closes

PRESSURE SWITCH
Announcement: Likelihood of no major safety concerns.

Ignitor fires
Basic Sequence IGNITOR
Yahoo! Let’s spark!
of Operations of Gas Valve opens

a Standard Gas GAS VALVE

Burners, comin’ at ya!

Furnace Heat Exchanger conducts heat and filters safe heat form unsafe heat.

Blower Motor moves hot air

BLOWER MOTOR
I like to move it, move it!

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 Part III

Activity-
Learning Facilitator: It’s your turn! Grab some paper and markers and draw
Segment 1 the diagram. This is a simple diagram which is intended for you to be
able to draw on a napkin or a notepad or anything. The point is that
you can communicate the basic sequence of operations of a
standard gas furnace simply and that it can be understood by a non-
Basic Sequence technician. Make sure you label the 6 active components and 2
stationary components. I’ll walk around the room to answer
of Operations of questions and give you the thumbs-up. Have fun with this!
a Standard Gas
Furnace
Learners draw their own diagram, labeling the 6-active components and 2 stationary components.
This is a job aid for future on-the-job reference.

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 Role Play Rubric
Advise a typical homeowner how preventative maintenance can prevent heat exchanger failure
I. Terminology
3 Used all three words “dirt”, “airflow” and “protect”
2 Used two of the three words “dirt”, “airflow” or “protect”
1 Used one of the three words “dirt”, “airflow” or “protect”
0 Did not use any of the three words “dirt”, “airflow” or “protect”
Assessment- II. Addressed homeowner’s unique situation

Learning 2 Addressed how preventative maintenance is appropriate for the homeowner’s specific situation
1 Spoke in general terms about preventative maintenance

Segment 5 0 Did not use talk about preventative maintenance

III. Enthusiasm
2 Excellent engagement; checked in for understanding and confirmation that needs have been met
1 Moderate engagement; interacted with homeowner but did not check in for understanding
0 No engagement; totally distracted, off-topic and did not address homeowner’s needs
IV. Maintaining Control
1 Switched approaches through the conversation to maintain control
0 Homeowner was in total control of the conversation

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 Role Play Rubric
Advise a typical homeowner how preventative maintenance can prevent heat exchanger failure

Scoring
Assessment- 8 points- Superstar!
Learning 6-7 points- On your way to Superstardom
Segment 5 4-5 points- Keep practicing and you’ll get there
0-3 points- You’ve got some work to do

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Evaluation

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