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Meet our Sponsor — RiteChoice® Ducting: Episode 72
19 Plays4 hours ago
Great airflow starts with the right ducting; that's why Kurt Bilitz from RiteChoice® Ducting joined the podcast this week to talk products and best practices.
This episode of Under the Vinyl is brought to you by RiteChoice® Ducting, learn more at RiteChoiceDucting.com.
PS, if you want to join ARA and you tell them you heard about it from Nate and Kyle, you'll get 10% off your first RiteChoice® Ducting order (some rules & restrictions apply). https://ararental.org/join-ARA/promo/Podcast25
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Transcript
Introduction & Sponsor Spotlight
00:00:01
Speaker
Welcome back to another episode of Under the Vinyl, a rental management media podcast.
00:00:18
Speaker
welcome back to another episode of under the vinyl a rental management media podcast Today, we're going to talk a little bit about HVAC and some ducting with a little bit of a sponsor spotlight that we got going
Meet Kurt from Right Choice Ducting
00:00:30
Speaker
on here. i Got a great guest for us um in Kurt. Kurt, how you doing?
00:00:35
Speaker
Very good, Nate. Thank you for having me on. I appreciate it. Yes, sir. So, Kurt, you're with Right Choice Ducting, that that's correct? That is correct. All right. And give us a little bit about, a little bit of a rundown on what your role is in the company and just a little bit about what you guys do.
00:00:53
Speaker
So I am ah I'm the vice president of sales. I've had a sales background for the better part of 30 years. I've been with Right Choice for a little over six and a half right now. ah And yeah, this this company kind of got started, not not on accident, but I happened to run into one of my owners and he said, we're looking for a guy. And I said, I happen to be looking to for something else. And here we are. This episode of Under the Vinyl is brought to you by Right Choice Ducting. When it comes to climate control and structure support systems, Right Choice Ducting delivers solutions you can count on.
00:01:25
Speaker
From high-performance, temporary fabric ducting that officially distributes heated or cooled air, to durable thermo-shield hardwall systems that create comfortable, energy-efficient spaces.
00:01:37
Speaker
Right Choice helps event professionals, tent manufacturers, and rental companies maximize performance in any environment.
Client Base & Industry Focus
00:01:44
Speaker
Who are you mostly selling to and and kind of what does that look like?
00:01:49
Speaker
So we're selling to, it can be enormous outfits, um the big rental companies of the world. It could also be just a single-owned business where just one person's running it.
00:02:00
Speaker
ah We sell a little bit to everything, some even some big box stores. And what's your primary focus on? i I mean, I'd say it's the rental industry. I would say we're pretty much a split 50-50 between heat duct and cooling duct.
00:02:13
Speaker
ah But now we've really gotten into some other things ah more in the tent industry as well with plenums and hardwalls.
Common Ducting Mistakes
00:02:20
Speaker
So what do you think is some of the common mistakes people make in selecting using ducting? You say heat and cooling duct, right? And to me, you know, not being somebody that is really knowledgeable of that. And, you know, I hire somebody in usually to come do my AC or heating from a third party. So I'm not really familiar with ducting. Ducting, it seems like ducting to me, right? But that's not the case. So what is the common mistake that people make, you know, in selecting the correct ducting? And what's the difference in the heating versus the cooled duct?
00:02:51
Speaker
So what I would say is ah one of my old adages is always is the the ducting in the AC or heat should be felt and not seen. um It kind of wants to be in the background. We don't want to see it.
00:03:01
Speaker
ah So a big mistake, I think, would be if your units are right up next to the tent, you you don't need the common standard 25 foot length. Get a 10-foot length, shorten that up, clean that up. It just looks better for everything involved, ah you know, whatever, it's a wedding, whatever
Climate Considerations for Duct Choice
00:03:17
Speaker
event it is. It's just a much cleaner look.
00:03:19
Speaker
As far as cooling and heat duct goes, it's pretty self-explanatory. You know, when you got 30-degree temperatures outside, but you still want to hold something in a tent, you need to up that temperature. So we we produce a ah silicone fabric that can hold up to 550 degrees and and really heat that that structure that is going to be in some some cold weather. And cooling is just the app ah opposite. You don't want 90 degree wetting.
00:03:44
Speaker
you don't want to You don't want to feel that. You want to feel the AC.
Customizing Ducts for Tent Companies
00:03:49
Speaker
Got it. And so in selecting the right duct, it it impacts the airflow then, correct? ah Yes, I mean, so obviously depending on your units and what kind of CFMs are coming out, let's say you have a standard 20 inch output, you know, you're obviously going to need 20 inch diameter duct.
00:04:06
Speaker
Those are going to carry higher CFMs. It's going to cool faster. So again, it depends on what your unit you're working with as far as the cooling and then what duct you need from there. But the airflow, yes, if it's running through 25 feet versus 10, you're going to lose a lot less running through 10.
00:04:22
Speaker
So I'm down here in Chattanooga, right? And so the humidity is kind of crazy down here and it just gets uncomfortable. um So what kind of ducting would you suggest I'd be using for that or what is the right way to go?
00:04:33
Speaker
So I'd go either our block out or blackout fabric, um which prevents UV rays from from ah going through there. And it just keeps that air cooler. If you're in a really humid climate, whether it's, you know, Chattanooga in summer, whether it's Puerto Rico, which I have some customers, insulated duct is the way to go. And they they have called me and said, it's amazing how this isn't sweating.
00:04:55
Speaker
And it makes a huge difference. So on a 25-foot run, you're going to lose about a degree and a half to two degrees. And that that's huge to only lose that in in a really humid climate. Oh, absolutely. Do you get to go visit any of those customers in Puerto Rico? No, but I should. And I should start getting and customers in Hawaii as well.
00:05:12
Speaker
I was going to say, if you need somebody, I got you. um how did How does Right Choice customize ducks for tent companies? You know, I feel like the HVAC has come on the scene a hell a lot more in our industry, in the tent industry.
00:05:26
Speaker
Everybody wants it. Not everybody wants to pay for it. It's something that's necessary, especially for these garden tents and these Levos and things like that that are coming out that are on the market. um You know, and AC is making a big push. So with that, how are you guys kind of customizing your ducts for the tent companies?
00:05:43
Speaker
So kind of going back what I said before, a lot of it is you know, the custom length, keeping it really close to the unit, to the tent. There's not all this extra, which maximizes airflow. The other thing that we offer is, you know, like splitters, wide connect connectors. So you can run duct in three different directions off of one unit. um ah not Not everyone offers that. Some do, some don't. But I always try to ask what my customer is looking to get out of it. where are we Are we looking for the cleanest look? Are we just concerned about temperature? And and we go from
Plenums & Storage Solutions
00:06:13
Speaker
there. And whether that's colored fabric of the duct.
00:06:15
Speaker
Hey, this this person wants a black tent, which is coming into Vogue right now. right We make black duct. Right. Do you guys, and you talk about with that block out that being the black, you know, and and and helping with that and everything. So can you customize any color? So if I have a, I have a blue tent and I want blue duct in, you can do blue duct in.
00:06:32
Speaker
We have blue, green, yellow, black, red, and white. Yes. Oh, wow. Okay. Okay. Awesome. So definitely different colors then to fit that need. Okay. And you talked a little bit about plenums and things like that and just different accessories. What are some kind of different accessories people don't think about necessarily? um You know, and describe what a plenum is. and I know, but for the listeners, if you could kind of give them idea of what that is and how that affects the airflow and things like that.
00:06:59
Speaker
Yeah, so a plenum, our plenums, ah they're they're stainless steel and they're powder coated. They're painted white, but we can customize that as well. um They have a honeycomb like gate on them, obviously. So it's a really, from inside the tent, it's a really, really clean look. And it has a nice flange on the outside to hook up your duct.
00:07:17
Speaker
So instead of people you'll see sometimes plywood with holes cut in or something to put the duct in, it's just not a good look. Where the plenum just looks like ah like an air vent in your house. Like, you know, it just it's a clean look. You don't even know it's there. You just feel the air coming in.
Durability & Investment Value of Duct Materials
00:07:32
Speaker
Okay. And then what is the storage as far as all this looks like and just the durability of the, you know, repeated installs and things like that when they need to store it? ah Yeah, so we another thing that we do at RightChoice is we make storage straps for every duct. It comes standard, you don't pay for it. It makes it easy to collapse ah for you guys to carry around because insulated and block out fabric duct is not light.
00:07:56
Speaker
So it's a lot easier when you can just cinch it down and and carry it around. ah But yeah, that that's that's one thing that we do just for ease of use for you. Another thing is because of the durability of the fabric.
00:08:08
Speaker
You can get four or five seasons out of this. This isn't a put it up and throw it away. Like, so it is, it is a good investment. That was my next question. How long, how long does everything kind of and last? And you say five seasons typically? Yeah. I mean, now again, it's depends how the operator is using it or that we dragging it all over parking lots and stuff. But you know, if there's, if there's a little level of, Hey, let's be conscious of how we're using this. It will, it will last and last.
00:08:34
Speaker
Okay, that's perfect. And i mean, it sounds like it's and it's like anything in this industry. As long as you take care of it, it'll it'll be there for the long
Business Advantages of Owning Ducts
00:08:41
Speaker
haul. Correct. And so just giving you a couple scenarios here and and just tell me kind of the approach on this. If you got, say we got a hundred foot clear span in July, what's kind of the approach on that with the ducting and things like that? are you Are you typically, you know, is it something that you guys make wall dividers for? You think it's better to go through the floor and use the plenums? What is kind of your suggestion there?
00:09:03
Speaker
So we don't do wall dividers. um We have had a couple requests about stuff going through the floor. It's not something we've done yet um because we just don't have those ancillary products to do that. But yeah for a clear span, they're going to heat up quicker. Obviously, it's going to heat up quicker. So I would suggest insulated duct for sure, just so the air that is getting in there and circulating is as cold as it possibly can be from the unit.
00:09:28
Speaker
Okay. And any cold weather, um you know, heat distribution tips, things like that?
00:09:36
Speaker
I mean, have a good seal, first of all, where it's coming in the tent or whatever structure it is, have a good seal so the heat, you know, is actually working. I mean, realistically, if it's 20 degrees outside, you're not going to get an 80 in there, but 60 is a lot more comfortable than 30 25 degrees.
00:09:52
Speaker
needs secure access for your structure? Will Right Choice Roll-Up Service Doors provide a durable, easy to install solution designed specifically for temporary and fabric structures? Visit rightchoiceducting.com to learn more or call us and mention it under the vinyl to receive 10% off your first Right Choice Ducting order. Some rules and restrictions apply. So then moving more up to ah the business side, you know, just for rental owners and different people that are listening to this, that are thinking about, you know, um going into this side and ah approaching the ducting side, what ah what is the, i guess, what's the advantage? is this Is this an upsell opportunity? And what makes it, you know, what mistakes on the cost for tent rental companies, you know, what what costs them money on this stuff? And what's the advantages to to making this upsell?
00:10:45
Speaker
So first of all, um it's a great question. I would say if i if I was running a tent company, i would want ownership of that product. I know AC units are not cheap, but I would love, I'd love to know
Logistics of Ducting Installation
00:10:58
Speaker
I'm installing it.
00:10:59
Speaker
I'm doing it right. A lot of times the rental companies and they're great companies, but it's a little set it and forget it type thing. ah You know, i I don't care if there's 20 extra feet of duct here. Let's just get it done and set it. Whereas you working for your company, Chattanooga tent, wherever it might be,
00:11:14
Speaker
You know, you you can set it like, hey, I'm taking care of this. This is my stuff. I know how I want to do it. I want to set it up. That's what I would say. I think it's a very good return on investment versus always outsourcing it.
00:11:25
Speaker
And then you know it's done correctly. So you feel like this is something, you know, if we don't necessarily own the HVAC, right? Because I feel like, you know, for the most part, we outsource our HVAC. And I feel like that's kind of the way to go just from ah from a logistics standpoint, right? And just maintenance on the HVAC systems as a whole. Now, I'm thinking in terms of the deducting portion of it. You know, we always run into issues where we have to get the ducting in ahead of time. Companies have to come in and lay the duct underneath the floor and the walls, things like that. That kind of creates a little bit of an issue. So to me, and correct me if I'm wrong, this feels like an opportunity that you could buy the ducting itself. um You can run it underneath the floor with your plenums and everything, run it out to the side for the AC companies to come in and then directly hook up and you're ready to go and take right off. Correct? Yeah. Absolutely. You absolutely could do that. You could be the owner of the duct and, you know, have it there and set up the way you want it. And then the AC unit comes in and it's just a simple hook up to that unit. Absolutely. right And I think that's smart.
00:12:23
Speaker
And you know the airflow of what you're getting in that based on the blocked out because a lot of these companies now, you know, um you know, any of the big rental companies, they are doing just it looks like regular white ducting, right? So it doesn't look like it's anything um out of the ordinary, nothing that's really protecting that heat, right? um So I feel like that's a better suggestion than in in in a way of knowing that you know what you're getting with the blockout material and things like that in the in the ducting.
00:12:51
Speaker
Correct, because you're at you're at their mercy, right? When you hire it all out or outsource it all out, they could be using duct that's seven years old that looks terrible, where you know, hey, I got i got either insulated or blackout, bakout I know what I'm getting, and I know the airflow is going to be great, and the temperature is going to stay cold.
00:13:08
Speaker
and And I agree. I think that is something that more companies should do. Maybe you don't invest in six 10-ton units, but you can sure have 50 pieces of duct on hand.
Manufacturing & Market Reach
00:13:17
Speaker
Absolutely.
00:13:18
Speaker
And so where are you guys manufactured and based out of? We manufactured just south of Milwaukee in Wisconsin. It's Oak Creek, Wisconsin. it's It's a good test place, it sounds like, then, for the cold weather, right? Yeah, we have summer for about two and a half months here.
00:13:32
Speaker
Okay. All right. and And you guys, I'm sure, pumping out a good volume up there. what is kind of your ah What's kind of your reach currently? And then is there a specific um you know part of the country that you're selling more to?
00:13:46
Speaker
Obviously, when it comes to cooling duct down south, we we do a lot more for that. A lot of customers in Florida, Texas, Arizona, stuff like that. As far as our reach, we have sold to the Caribbean. We have sold to Mexico. We've sold to Canada.
00:14:00
Speaker
i don't think we've sent anything to Europe yet, but we've ah we've hit a couple different ah international places so far, and we sell all over the country. Okay. And is there anything unique that we need to know or that you haven't hit yet? And and just telling us about this duct as a whole.
00:14:18
Speaker
um No, I think we hit on pretty much everything. i i would just say that, um you know, look look for things like plenums. Look for upsell opportunities because they end up making your life easier, too, as far as the installer, the tent, the person who's putting up the tent.
00:14:34
Speaker
Those just make your life easier. I'm sure you work with hardwall panels. Yeah. Those make your life easier. They make a clean look with plenums going through there. And we we have something for everyone. If you're a fabric tent guy, we have vertical plenums that pinch plate right in, and it's a very clean, seamless look.
00:14:53
Speaker
And where can ah where can the listeners find you or um you know get a hold of you to ah to look at any kind of quotes or if they may be interested in the product? Yeah, you can email me at Kurt at RightChoiceDucting.com. And Right is R-I-T-E because we decided we wanted to be different.
00:15:11
Speaker
Yep. um And or you could email my counterpart, Andy, Andy at RightChoiceDucting.com. You could always look up our full catalog. Our our digital catalog is online at www.RightChoiceDucting.com.
00:15:22
Speaker
And if you mention under the vinyl um at ah at your purchase time, ah you can receive 10% off ah your first purchase of RightChoiceDucting.
Conclusion & Contact Information
00:15:32
Speaker
Absolutely.
00:15:33
Speaker
Kurt, thanks for coming on today. Great insights on a very unique product that you guys have for this industry. um I know I've seen that at the show with you guys at ARA. Will you guys be at ARA and some other shows coming up this year too for people to come and have an opportunity to look at it?
00:15:49
Speaker
Absolutely. We'll be exhibiting again. Perfect. All right. Well, we look forward to hearing from you and seeing you. And as this partnership builds with this podcast as a whole, too, we'll have you on again and we'll talk a little bit through ah through some more opportunities. So thank you for coming on today, Kurt.
00:16:04
Speaker
Thanks, Nate. really appreciate the opportunity. And this has been another episode of Under the Vinyl, a rental management media podcast.