How Instant Asset Analytics Began

Our 
Story

The idea for Instant Asset Analytics was born out of real-world frustration and a deep desire for peace of mind. Founder Charles Chamblee was managing a crude oil pipeline in Wyoming that transported over 72,000 barrels of oil per day. One of his biggest challenges was the repeated failure of HVAC units responsible for cooling massive 2000HP pumps. These units were pushed to the limit, and when they failed, they would shut down the entire pipeline. Because these remote pump stations were unmanned, it sometimes took 24 hours—or a full shutdown—before anyone knew there was an issue. The stress of those failures, especially the air conditioning units, kept Charles up at night. One particular failure led to a building so overheated that its walls were too hot to touch, and every screen inside had gone dark. In that moment, Charles had the thought: “There’s got to be a better way.”

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Traditional industrial monitoring systems were too expensive to justify, but the need for real-time alerts was obvious. Although he couldn’t implement a solution at that job, the seed was planted. Years later, another personal challenge pushed Charles into action. His 100+ year-old home had an aging sewer line that would clog occasionally. Replacing it would have cost over $15,000, while cleaning it out cost about $600 each time. The real problem? When to clean it—after sewage backed up into the basement, or too early and too often. So, Charles built a smart monitor and mounted it inside the drain to detect slow drainage and alert him before disaster struck. That system worked so well, he applied a similar alert system to monitor his furnace in a home where winters routinely hit -20°F. Because he traveled often, he needed an immediate alert if the furnace failed—so he could act before frozen pipes became a crisis.

When Charles saw how well these simple alert systems worked—protecting both industrial and personal assets—he knew he had to share them. That’s when Instant Asset Analytics was born. Today, Charles proudly monitors his own equipment using IAA technology and often says:
“No one will know faster than I do if my equipment fails—unless they’re using my products, of course.”