Texas firm Shipshape is helping homeowners monitor HVAC performance, maintain their systems, avoid unexpected repairs and prevent health risks.

Its Pro HVAC leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and IoT technology along with experience in building science and mechanical engineering to deliver a HVAC offering in partnership with service providers.

HVAC systems are complicated and require regular maintenance to operate efficiently. Homeowners are not experts in HVAC system maintenance and, as a result, risk expensive breakdowns and health issues. Most homeowners do not know what maintenance is required or when it should be done. They do not know how long an HVAC system should last or how much to budget for the replacement. Finally, they are often unaware that deferring maintenance can lead to serious problems such as condensation and high humidity that cause mould growth and health issues including respiratory illness.

“There is a lot of work being done by the industry to inspect and build homes so that they are green and healthy,” said Stephen Hamstra, senior vice president of engineering at Melink Zero and a Shipshape advisor. “Before Shipshape, there was no good solution to help the homeowner make sure their home stays efficient and healthy over time.”

Current challenges with HVAC performance create significant problems for the community. HVAC systems use a lot of energy. For the average home in the USA, HVAC accounts for 43% of total home energy use. Meanwhile, heating and cooling homes is notoriously inefficient and wastes expensive energy. According to experts, homes waste 35% of the energy they use. As of April, twenty million families in the USA were behind on their energy bills.

To make things worse, extreme climate events such as heatwaves and polar vortexes increase HVAC demand leading to strain on the electrical grid and problems for utilities. The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts demand for HVAC will increase 300 per cent by 2050.

In light of this, proactive monitoring and proper maintenance are more important. When breakdowns occur, health consequences and property damage can be severe.

The Shipshape Pro HVAC is designed to help monitor and maintain the entire HVAC system including the AC unit, air handler, condensate pump, dehumidifier and air purifier. Features include: smart thermostat integration that works with Ecobee and Honeywell Resideo; leak detection; air quality monitoring of VOCs, CO₂, humidity and temperature; maintenance reminders; utility and government incentives; and service provider management.

Pro HVAC is also timely following the US Senate’s approval of the Inflation Reduction Act. This bill proposes direct incentives to homeowners looking to save money while making their homes more energy efficient. Specifically, homeowners will be eligible for up to $14,000 in credits to invest in energy efficiency improvements, including HVAC upgrades.

While proposals such as this have promise, they can be challenging for homeowners to navigate and many are simply unaware they are available. Without a mechanism to monitor and maintain a project, homeowners that participate in incentive programmes can fail to capture the full return on investment for the project. This can result in wasted programme funds, a much longer payback period, and increased long-term cost of operating the home.

“Homeowners can’t afford more costly HVAC problems,” said Alexander Linn, Shipshape’s CEO. “Home ownership is already too expensive, and poor maintenance and wasted energy are a significant cause. This is designed to save homeowners thousands of dollars over the life of the HVAC system and promote positive community impact.”

Pro HVAC, alongside Shipshape’s existing Pro Basement & Crawl Space and Advanced Leak Detection offerings, provides homeowners a complete home management platform. The platform adds value by creating interoperability across multiple smart home devices and home care providers. It adds an intelligence layer, provides an integrated interface and makes it easy to connect to a vetted network of providers including contractors, manufacturers and utilities.

Shipshape’s home management platform includes: home assistant monitoring; assisted maintenance; provider network; HomeHealth record; MyCoverage; and AlertActions.