Niche Knowledge Base — The Work Our Clients Do
This page teaches you the words and basic facts for each type of work our clients do. When a homeowner says "tonnage" or "double-pane" and you understand them, you sound like you work for a real company.
Two rules that never change, in every niche:
- You are a scheduler, not a technician. Never diagnose. Never promise what a job will cost or include. Say: "Our tech will check that when he comes out."
- We book replacements and full installations — not repairs. A person who only wants a small fix is not a lead for us. Politely point them to a local repair company. (The one exception: a client asked for repair leads AND it is written in their Discord channel. If there is no note, repair = disqualify.)
HVAC (our main niche)
HVAC = Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning. Almost all of our clients do this work.
The parts of a system
| Part | Where it is | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Condenser (outdoor unit) | Metal box outside the house | Cooling |
| Furnace / air handler (indoor unit) | Basement, attic, or closet | Heating; pushes air through the ducts |
| Heat pump | Outside (looks like a condenser) | Heats AND cools |
| Ducts | Inside walls and ceilings | Carry the air around the house |
| Mini-split | Small unit on a wall | Heats/cools one room, no ducts |
- "Replace the system" = both units (outdoor + indoor).
- "Just the AC" = the outdoor unit.
- "Just the furnace" = the indoor unit.
Words homeowners use
- Tonnage — the size (power) of the cooling system. 1 ton = 12,000 BTU per hour = enough for roughly 400–600 sq ft. Houses use 1.5 to 5 tons. You never need to calculate this — the tech does. But if a homeowner tells you their house size, this table tells you what they will probably need:
| House size | Typical tons |
|---|---|
| 800 – 1,000 sq ft | 1.5 – 2 |
| 1,200 – 1,300 | 2 – 2.5 |
| 1,500 – 1,600 | 2.5 – 3 |
| 1,800 – 2,000 | 3 – 3.5 |
| 2,100 – 2,400 | 3.5 – 4 |
| 2,500 – 3,000 | 4 – 5 |
| - R22 / Freon — the old cooling gas. Banned in the US since 2020. A recharge now costs $500–$1,500+ because the gas is rare. If someone says "my system uses R22" or "I need a Freon recharge," their system is old (before 2010) and is usually ready for replacement. This is a good lead. | |
| - R410A / Puron — the newer gas (2010+). Not compatible with R22 systems. | |
| - SEER / SEER2 — the efficiency score of an AC. Higher number = lower electric bills. 18+ is high efficiency. | |
| - Oil-to-gas conversion — older homes (mostly northeast US) may heat with oil. Converting to natural gas is a bigger job than a normal replacement. We do these — book it, don't explain permits or tank removal. |
Brands (never give opinions — check the client's account page)
| Brand | What to know |
|---|---|
| Trane | Premium. Reliable. |
| Carrier | One of the biggest. Premium. |
| Lennox | Premium. Quiet. |
| Goodman | Budget-friendly. Common in the South. |
| Rheem / Ruud | Mid-tier. Same company. |
| York | Mid-tier. |
| Daikin | Big international brand. Owns Goodman. |
| Mitsubishi | The main mini-split brand. |
The word-for-word call script, price answers, and objection handling live in HVAC Setter Playbook. This page is only the background knowledge.
Windows & Doors (legacy — existing clients only)
NOTE
We are not taking new Windows & Doors clients (decision from April 2026). This section exists so you can serve the W&D clients we still have.
Our W&D jobs are full window replacements — usually 10 or more windows at once. Not one broken window, not glass repair.
Why homeowners replace windows
- Drafts — cold air comes in around old windows.
- Condensation (fog) between the two layers of glass — means the seal has failed. It cannot be cleaned. Replacement is the only fix.
- Single-pane windows — very old, one layer of glass, poor insulation, high energy bills.
- Noise from outside.
Words homeowners use
- Double-pane / triple-pane — two or three layers of glass with gas between them. All modern windows are at least double-pane.
- Low-E glass — a coating that reflects heat. Standard on good modern windows.
- Vinyl / wood / fiberglass — the frame material. Vinyl is the most common and the most affordable.
- Retrofit (insert) — the new window goes inside the old frame. Faster and cheaper.
- Full-frame (new construction) — the old frame comes out completely. Bigger job.
Windows is an emotional purchase — homeowners care how the house looks and feels, not just the numbers. Financing ("as low as $149/month") worked well in this niche.
Countertops
One active client. Jobs are countertop replacement — usually a kitchen.
Words homeowners use
- Quartz — man-made stone. Uniform look, no sealing needed, very popular now.
- Granite — natural stone. Every slab is unique. Needs sealing every few years.
- Slab — the big piece of stone the counter is cut from.
- Fabrication — cutting the slab to fit the kitchen. Done in a shop, not in the house.
- Template / templating — the measuring visit. Someone comes and measures the exact shape before cutting.
A countertop job has two visits: first the measuring (template), then the installation. The estimate visit we book is where the homeowner picks material and gets the price.
Water Heaters / Plumbing (testing niche)
A small number of clients. Jobs are water heater replacements, especially tankless upgrades.
Words homeowners use
- Tank water heater — the traditional big cylinder. Stores 40–50 gallons of hot water. Lasts ~10–12 years.
- Tankless (on-demand) — heats water instantly as it flows. No tank. Endless hot water, lower energy bills, lasts longer. Costs more up front — that is why financing ("as low as $55/month") is the common angle.
- "No hot water" / "water is rusty" / "tank is leaking" — signals the current heater is dying. Good replacement lead.
If a homeowner only wants a small plumbing repair (a leaking faucet, a clog), that is not our job — same rule as everywhere: replacements only.
Quick self-test
You are ready to take calls in a niche when you can answer these without looking:
- HVAC: what does it mean if the homeowner says "I just need a Freon recharge"?
- HVAC: "full system" vs "just the AC" — which parts?
- Windows: what does fog between the glass layers mean?
- Countertops: what is templating?
- Water heaters: why do people upgrade to tankless?