Podcast Summary

Service Business Mastery for Skilled Trades

Episode: The Patent-Backed Home Guardian Tech to Expose Efficiency Myths & Reduce Costs

Hosts: Tersh Blissett & Josh Crouch
Guest: Keith E. Flores, Founder, Home Guardian
Release Date: October 8, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode takes a deep dive into how the patent-backed Home Guardian platform is set to transform the home services industry. Keith E. Flores, seasoned tradesman and founder of HG Home Services, returns to discuss how his technology demystifies efficiency claims, gives real-time transparency to homeowners, automates diagnostics, and brings contractors recurring revenue opportunities—all while keeping installation painless and affordable. The conversation is lively, practical, and packed with both technical details and business implications for contractors in HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and related trades.

Keith Flores' Industry Roots: Not Your Typical Tech Founder

• Keith’s Background in the Trades

  • Keith started working in the trades at 12, doing ductwork side jobs, and quickly fell in love with the hands-on reality.
  • Describes his journey from family business to high-level installer and entrepreneur.
  • “What I love about this part of the trade, the retrofit trade, is like, at the end of the day, you’ve accomplished something. You can see it.” (06:20)

• Why He Launched Home Guardian

  • The idea was sparked by an engineer-client asking how he could prove the purchased system actually delivered its promised efficiency.
  • “Somebody’s got to develop something like, you know, a fuel gauge on a wall.” (08:24)

Home Guardian: Vision, Patent, and Unique Value

Exposing Efficiency Myths & Real Transparency

• Rising Above “Yellow Sticker” Claims

  • Keith grew frustrated with how efficiency ratings are lab-based—not real home conditions.
  • "You can install a 20 SEER system on some garbage ductwork, and the next thing you know, you actually have a 13 SEER system.” — Tersh Blissett (07:28)

• Patent-Backed Whole-Home Monitoring (11:27)

  • Home Guardian holds the patent for whole home connectivity.
  • One platform to monitor everything: air quality, water quality, mechanical systems, even roof integrity.

Simplicity & Scalability

• Installation
  • Special attention to making installs simple—targeting under 2 hours.
  • “I wanted to make sure that this thing was installed in under two hours… and that it stayed connected.” (12:27)
• Connectivity
  • System uses robust connectivity; works in complex environments, can reach 875ft—suited for houses, apartments, and multi-family complexes.

Practical Budgeting for Homeowners

• Real-time feedback on utility usage
• AI-powered alerts: "If you only want to spend $200 this month… it’s going to say, ‘Turn your AC to 78, sweat it out the rest of the month to stay at that $200.’” (14:02)

All-in-One Dashboard

• Like a car’s dashboard: reports on everything but doesn’t control it (13:12)
• App is intuitive for both homeowners and technicians.

Game-Changer for Contractors

True Recurring Revenue

• Contractors get $3 monthly residual for each installation’s app fee. (28:06)

Cross-Trade Opportunity & Referral Network

• Monitors everything—even things your business doesn’t service, like pools, garage doors, or roofs.
• “You have your own network of people; now you’re creating leads for these guys.” (16:29)
• Triggers and refers opportunities for partners in other trades.

Stops the “Efficiency Creep” and Proves Real Value

• Home Guardian measures true SEER over time. First year isn’t fully accurate due to lack of seasonal data, but gets more precise. (19:04)
• “If you’re literally offering something to a client, you should be doing the right thing anyway—somebody’s going to come along and tell them.” (17:49)
• Data arms contractors and clients to address “superhero contractors” who claim to fix efficiency.

Smarter Diagnostics & Service Call Reduction

• Notifies homeowner and their original contractor about issues—less emergency work on holidays.
• Reduces “no-cool” wasted calls; helps pre-diagnose before techs roll a truck. (30:38)

Retention and Branding

• Contractor-branded app, visibility for your company every time the homeowner checks.
• “This is a retention hub. This is telling the homeowner real time what’s going on…and the contractor real time, too.” (28:27)

Technical Highlights & Features

What Home Guardian Monitors (13:12 – 15:44)

• Water quality (measured by piercing main line for real flow)
• Air quality (nodes with fans for accurate sampling)
• Static pressure in HVAC systems
• Real all-home electrical loads (small, easy-install sensors for breaker panels)
• Utility usage, humidity spikes, temperature splits
• Roof leaks, garage door status, pool monitoring
• Customizable with add-on nodes ($45 per pool, etc.)

Hardware & Installation

• Base station + 12 nodes, 16 CT clamps for electrical panel. (28:08)
• Nodes are wireless, batteries last 3 years, battery level now displayed. (35:11)
• Set up is guided with a simple app—“It’s not rocket science whatsoever. Anybody can do it.” (27:14)
• Designed for Matter compliance and plug-and-play expansion.

Network & Security

• Uses its own G3 (not interfering with WiFi or Bluetooth). (38:12)
• Long-range, robust signals—antennas allow hub to talk through/between walls.

Sexy, Customer-Facing Design

• Dashboard is a wall-mounted, double-iPhone-sized touch display—can go in a closet if preferred. (36:40)
• All American-made parts except for the chips (sourced abroad).
• “This is a product that you can stand behind and tell your clients, hey, look, if it shows we are not doing something properly, we are going to take care of it.” (33:06)

Industry & Market Validation

• Utility companies, insurers, home warranty firms, politicians are interested—data can support instant rebates and risk reduction. (19:58)
• “It’s literally backing you as the contractor, as the service technician.” (34:53)
• “Between all the [social] platforms, we got 2 million views and over a thousand shares… There is a necessity for something like this.” (38:56)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On exposing efficiency claims:

  • “Somebody’s going to figure it out and that’s going to be the next Dateline, like all these guys selling high efficiency aren’t actually fixing anything.” — Josh Crouch (34:27)

• On making data actionable:

  • “It’s not rocket science. The boxes are sexy. The screens really sexy. Like everything.” — Keith Flores (36:01)

• On integration and thinking outside the box:

  • “I went outside the industry because, for one, I wanted to keep it quiet for years… I wanted to think outside the box.” — Keith Flores (19:58)

• On the impact of recurring services and lead generation:

  • “Now you’re creating leads for these guys.” (16:29)
  • “This is a retention hub.” (28:27)

• On what’s been missing in the market:

  • “There’s never been anything like filters…All of it’s old technology. Our technology is like the latest and greatest.” (18:08)

• On pride and Made-in-America:

  • “My engineers are all based here in the U.S. This is something I really pride myself on because blue collar guy myself, I know it’s all about, you know, red, white and blue.” — Keith Flores (33:06)

Key Timestamps

• 03:44 — Keith’s story: from 12-year-old helper to trades business owner
• 07:28 — Ductwork and efficiency myths ("20 SEER on garbage ductwork…")
• 08:24 — The engineer’s question that launched the Home Guardian journey
• 11:26 — Home Guardian holds a patent for whole-home connectivity
• 12:27 — Simplicity and reliability in installation & connectivity
• 13:12 — Dashboard comparison: car dashboard for your house
• 14:02 — Real-time budgeting and AI warnings for utility usage
• 16:29 — Cross-trade referral opportunities
• 18:08 — “Never been anything like filters—[competitors] all use old technology”
• 19:58 — Building a rocket team; outside-the-industry recruiting
• 28:06 — App fee structure and recurring revenue model
• 34:53 — "It’s literally backing you as the contractor"
• 36:01 — “It’s not rocket science... the boxes are sexy.”
• 38:56 — Social media buzz: 2M views, industry demand

How to Get Home Guardian

• Contractor Direct Model: Not sold at Home Depot or through supply houses. Sign up and get more information at hghomeguardian.com. (43:48)
• Contractors keep direct ownership of leads, branding, and recurring revenue.

Closing Highlights

• Home Guardian is built by tradespeople, for tradespeople, meant to be easy to sell, install, and profitable—for any shop size.
• It arms contractors with the data to prove their value and capture more trades, while giving homeowners clarity and control.
• “If you have any questions about this, don’t hesitate to reach out to Keith. He’s a wealth of knowledge.” — Tersh Blissett (44:49)
• Follow Keith and Home Guardian for updates and launches.

[End of Summary]