In this episode of The ROCC Pod, we sit down with Matt Traitses, General Manager, and Chris Downs, HVAC Manager at Cregger Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Electrical. With summer in full swing, we focus on home comfort, efficiency, and cost savings through HVAC upgrades and maintenance. Chris breaks down how federal tax credits and utility rebates can save homeowners over $2,000 when replacing outdated systems, thanks to incentives like $600 tax credits for furnaces and air conditioners, and rebates from gas and electric companies. These savings are immediate and impactful, especially for those living in older homes with lower efficiency units.
We dive into safety as a top priority, particularly the risks of carbon monoxide from improperly maintained furnaces. Chris emphasizes regular maintenance—including annual tune-ups and filter changes—to protect both the system’s longevity and the home's air quality. He also discusses add-ons like UV lights and air purifiers that actively kill bacteria and viruses in the air.
The conversation shifts to the importance of proper system installation. While many homeowners obsess over brands, Chris reminds us that installation quality matters more than the brand name. An incorrectly sized or poorly installed unit leads to inefficiency, noise, and higher long-term costs. Sizing the unit correctly through load calculations ensures better performance and comfort.
We also hear about Chris’s unique journey from owning a cattle and crop farm to managing HVAC sales and system design. His career transition led him to a leadership role at Cregger, where he now mentors technicians and helps expand their HVAC services. Matt notes that Chris is the company's first-ever HVAC Manager, brought in during a period of strategic growth.
Cregger’s recent involvement with the Royal Oak Chamber is also discussed. They've joined community events like the Summer Concert Series and Halloween festivities, with plans to donate an HVAC system to a local veteran in need. Community service remains a cornerstone of their mission, from food banks to supporting animal shelters.
As the episode wraps, we ask our signature “fishbowl” questions. Chris shares his one regret—wishing he'd entered the trades earlier—and Matt reflects on reviving a Greek family tradition involving a New Year’s dish and a lucky coin.
The Rocc Pod - Cregger
Speakers: Jon Gay, Lisa Bibbee, Chris Downs, & Matt Traitses
Chris Downs (00:00):
Now the tax credits are pretty awesome. They're not a deduction; they actually shift your bottom line by up to $1,200. So, it's $600 for the furnace, $600 for the air conditioner. So, it's an actual line credit, so it'll increase your refund or I guess a decrease if you owe money, what you have to pay by up to $1,200.
And then the rebates right now for a high efficiency furnace, typically hover right around $500 through the gas company. That comes to you in the form of a check. And for the air conditioners, those are also as high as $500 as well. And that comes from the electricity company.
I mean, when you factor in the rebates, you're talking a swing of north of $2,000, and that's cash that's going into your pocket.
[Music Playing]
Jon Gay (00:50):
Welcome back to the ROCC Pod produced for the Royal Oak Michigan Chamber of Commerce. I'm Jon Gay from JAG in Detroit Podcasts.
Lisa Bibbee (00:55):
And I'm Lisa Bibbee realtor with CENTURY 21 Northland.
Jon Gay (00:58):
Today, our guests are Matt Traitses, General Manager and Chris Downs, HVAC Manager at Cregger Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Electrical. Welcome to you, both.
Matt Traitses (01:07):
Thank you.
Chris Downs (01:08):
Good morning, guys. Thanks for having us today.
Jon Gay (01:10):
So, with summer here, we've got a lot to discuss, but first, I have to ask Chris, you owned and maintained a 151-acre farm for years. What kind of animals? What kind of crops? What are we talking about here?
Chris Downs (01:23):
Corn, soybeans, and we finished cattle there as well.
Lisa Bibbee (01:27):
Interesting. So, you're also a licensed journeyman plumber with 12 years’ experience in the HVAC, so this is a great combo for homeowners if they need something fixed like plumbing and HVAC at the same time.
Chris Downs (01:42):
Absolutely, absolutely.
Jon Gay (01:44):
So, one of the important things about the line of work that you guys are in is safety. Talk to us about the safety of an HVAC system.
Chris Downs (01:52):
Sure. So, Jon, as you know, obviously the biggest fuel or source of fuel used around here is natural gas. Your furnace is probably one of the few appliances in your home that can be potentially deadly. Obviously, carbon monoxide is our biggest concern, so that's something that we recommend we check on a regular basis. Once again, that's one of the few appliances in your home that can be very dangerous.
Lisa Bibbee (02:22):
So, let's talk about the importance of maintaining your HVAC system. One of the simplest things a homeowner can do, and I always pull them aside and say, “Have you changed your filter on your furnace?”
Because buyers are looking at things, and if you've got a really dirty filter or worse yet, a filter that doesn't even fit correctly, it automatically makes you question everything that that seller does. So, love to hear from you guys some tips about maintaining your HVAC and how often you need to do that.
Chris Downs (02:51):
Sure. So, filter is probably one of the first lines of defense in keeping your equipment running properly. It also is ensuring that you have the best air quality in the home. And I'm sure as you've read lately, air quality has become one of the biggest concerns probably with buyers for you and of course, with our clients as well.
Jon Gay (03:13):
And I should jump in for a second. We’re recording this on June 5th, and this week, we've had bad air quality with those Canadian wildfires blowing in too.
Chris Downs (03:21):
Absolutely. And an air filter is a very basic device.
Lisa Bibbee (03:23):
Pet hair.
Chris Downs (03:24):You're essentially filtering out dust if you've got pets in the home. There you go, absolutely. And then of course, there's steps that you can take to go above and beyond a traditional air filter.
We have air purifiers, we have UV lights that are, now, we're not only capturing and collecting dust and debris, but now, we're actually actively killing bacteria, mold spores, viruses, basically all of those nasty things in the air that we don't want to breathe in.
And then from there, we also would recommend a safety, a full tune-up, a full clean of both the furnace as well as the air conditioner every year. And by doing that, of course, we are checking to make sure that the furnace isn't emitting any CO or carbon monoxide into the airstream. We're also making sure that the efficiency of the furnace as well as the AC is as good as it can be, and is close to manufacturer specs as possible.
Also, with a basic maintenance on an air conditioner, we're cleaning the outdoor unit, we're increasing airflow, which also increases the capacity of the system to cool the home down, keep you and the kids comfortable.
Jon Gay (04:39):
I love what you said about the air filters. My wife and I live in an older house, and having had dogs, we're changing our furnace filter every month. We're just really trying to stay on top of it, and we'd rather be a little extra cautious with that sort of thing.
Chris, I've got to ask you, how did you transition from farm to HVAC?
Chris Downs (04:58):
So, I actually was already in heating and cooling when I bought the first chunk of land.
Matt Traitses (05:04):
Side gig.
Chris Downs (05:05):
So, I don't know what I was thinking, Jon, I had no idea.
Lisa Bibbee (05:08):
Which was the side gig, the farm or the HVAC?
[Laughter]
Chris Downs (05:11):
Yeah. I originally bought the land as an investment and with the high property taxes, I had to generate a little revenue. So, I mean, of course, the next thing you do is start farming (laughs).
Jon Gay (05:24):
There you go. Well, then follow up question, how did you get into the HVAC field?
Chris Downs (05:28):
So, I was a plumber as well as I was running a contracting business as well. And I got to the point where I was getting a lot better at securing work, securing jobs, and unfortunately, I was securing jobs a lot quicker than I was able to finish them.
And I was on a site one day and ran into an old friend, if you will, and he was doing sales for heating and cooling company, and he said, “Hey, why don't you just come in and just do this? It's what you're good at. So, kind of the rest from there is history.
Jon Gay (06:07):
Is that old friend sitting to your left right now?
Chris Downs (06:09):
No.
Lisa Bibbee (06:10):
No. Different company?
Chris Downs (06:12):
He's my new friend (laughs).
Jon Gay (06:14):
Gotcha. So, from there, how did you end up at Cregger?
Chris Downs (06:17):
After about 11 years in the field doing sales system design, system maintenance, I got to the point where I wanted to kind of expand my career, if you will. I had figured out a lot of really good techniques in terms of selling and designing systems, and it got to the point where I wanted something a little bit more rewarding.
So, I decided that maybe my knowledge and expertise would be better suited teaching others the craft, if you will. This seemed like the perfect fit and well, here we are.
Matt Traitses (06:53):
Yeah, we brought Chris on as an HVAC Manager, which is the first time we've ever had an HVAC Manager here. We're a plumbing heavy business, and we've been in the process of growing our HVAC department out, and we put a job out for HVAC Manager, and Chris had applied and kind of was appealing to the mentorship and development of our HVAC team, and he's been doing a great job so far.
Lisa Bibbee (07:16):
Let's talk for a moment about the importance of proper installation of your HVAC system. So, as a realtor, I have my green designation certificate, and for homeowners, what does this mean when something's green or for instance, Pearl certified? Basically, comfort the level of air quality in your home.
I mean, utility efficiency, saving money, there's so many things that a homeowner can benefit by having these efficient systems. So, can you guys talk to us a little bit about the installation process?
Chris Downs (07:48):
Absolutely, Lisa. That's a great point. That's actually one of the points that so many people ignore. I get a lot of questions: what's the best furnace brand? What's the best air conditioner brand? And although there are superior brands. Of course, there's brands that appeal to builders who are looking for a lower price point. There are brands that appeal to consumers because they want a higher quality system.
So, once again, the brand, it is important, but I would say the brand is 10 to 20% of the overall project. What they say, and I agree with this, is the most important day for your system is the day that it's installed.
80% of not only the longevity of the system, the efficiency of the system, unwanted noise levels, if you put in a system that's say, oversized, so too big for the house, too big for the duct system, you're going to run into increased noise levels, you're adding additional premature wear and tear on the equipment. It's just the sizing of the system and the installation is absolutely the most important factor in the entire project.
Lisa Bibbee (09:01):
So, what I hear you saying is bigger isn't always better.
Chris Downs (09:06):
(Laughs) Well, in HVAC, that is absolutely correct. That is absolutely correct. Bigger is the enemy.
Jon Gay (09:13):
And it's funny you mentioned the noise. As the podcast producer in the group, I can't tell you how many times I have run into a client where they've got a really loud vent right next to their recording, which is difficult to take out in post-production.
So, sometimes you have to tell folks, “Hey, I know it's warm in there or it's cold in there, but I'm going to ask you to turn that system off for a few minutes, so I don't hear [HVAC sound] as you're recording the whole time,
Chris Downs (09:39):
Jon, if you could just send them my personal information, I'll take care of that noise … no problem.
Jon Gay (09:46):
(Laughs) You're actually leading me to my next question, Chris, which is, when choosing the right company, what specific questions should a homeowner be asking?
Chris Downs (09:55):
Great question. So, one of the things that I focus on is I want to know what the installation practices are. Google reviews are a big thing, but at the end of the day, you want to know what kind of practices the company that you're choosing takes.
One thing that I like to focus on heavily is something called a load calculation. Load calculation is taking basically a broad picture of your home. And by doing that, we're able to size the equipment correctly. So, it's not only as efficient in terms of energy usage, but also, of course, safe. And we want to avoid those noisy ducts, especially for the podcast crew.
But I would say the big thing that you want to ask is the quality of the installation, because I've seen the best equipment in the business installed improperly, and it has to be replaced in three years because it's not designed for the space that it's being used in.
Lisa Bibbee (10:53):
So, let's talk a moment about saving money, rebates, and tax incentives. We'd love to hear how homeowners can actually save money by installing a new system.
Chris Downs (11:03):
We're in an area with a lot of older homes, and what we run into for the majority of the homes that we service is they have a standard efficiency furnace. Typically, the efficiency rating when the unit is new is between 70 and 80%.
So, for every dollar of gas you're pumping into the furnace, we're receiving between 70 and 80 cents of that as the heat that you're feeling in your home. And the additional 20 to 30% of that dollar in gas is unfortunately going up and out of your chimney.
Now, keep in mind, just like a car, heck, just like us, as you age, you kind of slow down and the efficiency starts to fall off a little bit.
Lisa Bibbee (11:44):
I have no idea what you're talking about.
[Laughter]
Chris Downs (11:47):
It's not applicable to you, Lisa.
Lisa Bibbee (11:50):
I just turned 50, it is.
[Laughter]
Chris Downs (11:53):
But once again, the equipment unfortunately does deteriorate over time. So, what was 80% 15 years ago, you might only be running at 70% now.
The new energy efficient equipment, or you mentioned green a little bit earlier, Lisa – so typically, that's going to be a furnace that operates at an efficiency level of 97% or higher. And of course, if you're going from a furnace that's, say operating at 70%, to now operating at 97%, you're literally cutting the cost to heat your home by approximately 30%. I don't know if money matters to you guys, but it definitely does me. So, 30% on the cost to heat my home is a big deal.
And then on the flip side, we rate an air conditioner by something called SEER, and that's the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating. So, basically the higher the SEER rating is, the less electricity the unit consumes.
So, right now, I'm replacing units that are eight SEER when they were installed, and we're putting in units that are as high as 21/26 SEER. To get the tax creditor the rebates, the air conditioner has to be rated at 16 SEER or higher.
Now, the tax credits are pretty awesome, they're not a deduction. They actually shift your bottom line by up to $1,200. So, it's $600 for the furnace, $600 for the air conditioner. So, it's an actual line credit, so it'll increase your refund, or I guess a decrease if you owe money, what you have to pay by up to $1,200.
And then the rebates right now for a high efficiency furnace typically hover right around $500 through the gas company. That comes to you in the form of a check. And for the air conditioners, those are also as high as $500 as well. And that comes from the electricity company.
I mean, when you factor in the rebates, you're talking a swing of north of $2,000, and that's cash that's going into your pocket.
Jon Gay (13:54):
I want to ask, since this is the Royal Oak Chamber Podcast, the ROCC Pod, what your experience has been so far with the Chamber events and meeting folks and how that's been for you guys.
Matt Traitses (14:04):
Yeah, so we actually just joined the Royal Chamber probably about two months ago.
Lisa Bibbee (14:09):
Welcome.
Matt Traitses (14:10):
Thank you. So, we got some stuff on the books for this summer. So, Cregger is actually going through a rebrand, and with that rebrand, we're going to be doing some events. So, we're doing the Summer Concert Series with the Chamber. We're going to be a sponsor on that for, I believe three or four different concerts in Royal Oak, which will be super fun.
And then we're also going to be investing as a sponsor in the Halloween event that the Chamber has going on. So, definitely a lot of community engagement events focusing around the Royal Oak area. And this is where we operate most. So, we are located in Ferndale, so our two biggest areas are Ferndale and Royal Oak, and we're excited to roll out these community engagement initiatives and help out the community.
Cregger has a pretty longstanding relationship with the community here. We do a number of events from food banks to funding animal shelters, and we're also working with veteran organizations right now to find a veteran to give away HVAC system to, who's in need of an HVAC system who may be disabled or elderly veteran that may need some help. So, we do a number of events throughout this area.
Jon Gay (15:15):
That's fantastic.
Lisa Bibbee (15:17):
You took the words right out of my mouth (laughs).
Jon Gay (15:19):
We’ve been working together for a while now.
Lisa Bibbee (15:21):
Well, and the Royal Oak Chamber is such an amazing resource, so tap into that. You've got everybody from marketers, branders, photographers. I mean, there is a wealth of knowledge and people that can help you guys on that rebrand.
Matt Traitses (15:34):
Awesome. Thank you so much. Yeah, they have the ribbon cutting events that we'd likely be talking to them about as well. They can come along and help us launch it.
Jon Gay (15:43):
Terrific. Well, now it is time for our fishbowl question of the day where we ask you a totally random question. Lisa, would you please pull today's fishbowl question?
Lisa Bibbee (15:53):
Yes. Alright. What is one piece of advice that you wished you would have taken seriously, Chris?
Chris Downs (16:03):
Oh my. Geez.
Jon Gay (16:07):
It doesn't have to be work related. It can be anything in life.
Matt Traitses (16:09):
I'm glad you got that one.
Jon Gay (16:11):
I've got an easier one for you, Matt (laughs).
Chris Downs (16:15):
I think I wish I would've gotten into the trades sooner. If I could go back, I would've started right out of high school.
Jon Gay (16:21):
I'm so glad you said that because I look back, my college tuition is double what it was when I was there 25 years ago. And getting into the skilled trade, it's a lot less investment as far on the “tuition” side, and a lot more bang for your buck when you get on. We need folks in the skilled trades, so I'm so glad you said that.
Lisa Bibbee (16:39):
Yes, absolutely. Alright, Matt, this one's going to be a little easier for you.
Matt Traitses (16:43):
Thank you (chuckles).
Lisa Bibbee (16:45):
What family traditions have you forgotten about that you'd like to revive?
Matt Traitses (16:51):
Oh wow. So, I come from a Greek family, and I recently just moved back home from being all over the country. And one thing I've always missed out on is New Year's Day, and my grandma used to create this dish called Zelnik. It's a Greek dish. It's kind of like Spanakopita, it's similar to that, but it's our own family recipe.
And she would hide a quarter in this Zelnik and whoever got that piece had good luck for the year. So, I haven't been around to experience that for a while, and my grandma passed away a few years ago, but my sister has learned the family recipe, and she started to do that. So, definitely want to get back into that tradition.
Lisa Bibbee (17:29):
I love that. Are we invited for dinner? It sounds really yummy (chuckles).
Matt Traitses (17:34):
Yeah, Spanakopita is amazing.
Jon Gay (17:36):
Food and football, right, on New Year's Day?
Matt Traitses (17:38):
Yeah. Yeah, of course.
Jon Gay (17:40):
Alright, so if our folks listening to the podcast want to get in touch with you and the team at Cregger, what are the best ways to reach you?
Matt Traitses (17:45):
We have a call center staff here, staff from 8 to 5:00 PM, and we also have after hour services as well. So, you can call the number at (248)-560-7780. Call to book your appointment for either plumbing or HVAC. We usually do, depending on the severity of the issue, we can do same day appointments or definitely next day appointments if needed.
Lisa Bibbee (18:09):
Well, thank you guys both for being on our show. My name is Lisa Bibbee, and I'm a realtor with CENTURY 21 Northland. I put the real back in realtor, and we want you to love where you live.
Questions about buying or selling your home, call my cell (248)-981-3610. My website is soldbylisab.com, and you can find me on YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram at Sold By Lisa B. Let's connect.
Jon Gay (18:37):
And I'm Jon Gay with JAG in Detroit Podcasts. I take the pain out of podcasting. If you've ever wanted to start a podcast but been intimidated by the process, you can email me, jag@jagindetroit.com. You can find me on social media at JAG in Detroit. Both Lisa’s and my contact info are in the show notes.
[Music Playing]
Thanks for listening to the ROCC Pod. It is produced for the Royal Oak Michigan Chamber of Commerce. For more information on the chamber or our events, you can visit royaloakchamber.com. Thanks, everyone.