I once was troubleshooting a centrifugal in a 45 story bldg and three of the attorneys that occupied one of the floors that had no a/c kept watching me and telling me it was costing them money because it was too hot for their employees and clients and they were going to charge my company for time lost. At least one of them kept leaning over my shoulder asking how much longer I was going to be. Finally I got fed up, started putting my meters away, and got up to leave. He asked me what the hell I was doing and I told him...I don't tell you how to do your business and I don't need you or your partners telling me how to do mine. If you get out of here and leave me alone I will finish as soon as i can. He looked shocked but then said...You know, you are right we will leave you alone. Fifteen minutes later the centrifugal was back up and making chilled water. We can only take so much and shouldn't have to tolerate abuse from customers.
Our job in the HVACR is one of the most important jobs in the world and we should be proud and let nosy people know about. We should also be paid accordingly!
What freaks me out when a professional is called, then they start tell you what to do and how to do .... Mostly i try to get educational and dive in the observations and possible ways of their meanings and methods to rule out, how they work and what should i expect. If i am good then they freak out after a few minutes and leave me alone :D
I'm an engineer - I understand how machines work and what can go wrong - but if I hire someone else to service something for me, I'm not going to tell him how to do his job or how long it "should" take. I'll trust his experience and judgement. I may ask some questions out of curiosity, but I'll stay out of the way. Amusingly enough, last time I had someone out to service the furnace, he asked for my help because the job needed 3 hands. No discount for my assistance, but he did give me some good, used spare parts.
Making service calls for 36 years till I retired I came to the conclusion 90 percent of the customers are great 10 percent and just plan NUTS just my opinion LOL
I am maintenance at a police dept. They have tons of people like the lady you describe. All the new people hired are told, Don't piss Joe off or you'll be the last to get anything from him. I will totally ignore anyone that tries to treat me like a second hand citizen. Air and heat are the worst. One person freezing while someone 15 feet away is burning up and it is my fault. My boss the chief once asked me what we could do. I told him to tell the city to stop doing lowest bid and try to get me 6 units by at least the same manufacture. We had all the controls done about 5 years ago. From some company in Canada. If a board goes bad I have to ship, wait for customs, explain to customs that it is a warranty repair so they don't charge an outrageous customs fee. Glad I have 2 years left. It gets harder and harder to deal with people.
@@chuckjohnson919 I once changed one of the secretaries tire in a rain storm because she had a appointment for her elderly mother. Why? Cause she treated me great and would always try and help me. We've been best buds for 33 years now. I cannot handle snotty people.
@@chuckjohnson919 Sound pretty good yourself Chuck, thanks. I do a lot of computer work on the side and take care of a lot of them with that. Slowing down now though ;)
That air handler taller than a 10 ft. stepladder would scare me away! I would want a scissor-lift. The "Doctor" probably got a degree on a grading curve😆 That was slick finding that leak finally on a Schrader Valve👍 Great video! 🇺🇸
I had a customer like that one time, it was the store manager at a staples. i was there to work on the alarm system and she was making it impossible to do my job. i got pissed off an called the project manager, i told him i wont go back if she is there lol. next time i showed up it was a diff manager, but she was on the phone with him trying to micro manage. Some people are just nuts, and are so incredibly miserable they will try to jam up a stranger.
The one thing I learned years ago in business, you can't please everyone. Some you can't please at all. There is one in every crowd, and you found one. God Bless
A lot like my job I have now. ( not HVAC ) I do a skilled job that it seems no one else can do anymore. I just do it for over 20 years and everybody is happy. Old plant manager used to actually get stupid and give me a hard time over trivial matters. I used to just smile and look at him asking him " are you really sure you want to do that ? "
I just wanted to say that you are one of the absolute best HVAC technicians I have ever seen, love your work ethic and how professional and polite you are and have seen you go that extra mile many times. I must have watched around fifty of your videos and enjoyed every one. When I was a young man I used to be my father in law’s helper and learned how to do the sheet metal cutting, bending , securing and wrap plus install trunk lines etc. I should have stuck with him and learned the trade, stupid kid you know 😂 but I hated being under houses and in attics, didn’t bother him because he was a tunnel rat in the Green Berets in Vietnam. May he RIP a great man who I looked up to.
Good joss for putting up with the Doctor. I've been in IT for over 15 years, and Doctors, Nurses, and Lawyers always have severe "cranial-rectal impaction" when it comes to working with other professionals.
LOL, so true on the other side of the big water too... I have friends who are in making furniture and carpenter/joiner jobs (i hope those are the correct translations for their job), and they have a regular price and they have an extra charge for "doctors, lawyers, policemen" :) Regarding policemen, respect to who really come to serve and protect, but they have their hands pretty much tied, so majority of the staff here is just there to get a living from a job where practically nobody is sent away.
I am glad and happy you put your feelings out there. I used to work for a large medical equipment manufacturer servicing their equipment at Doctors premises. I have met with what I can only describe as abuse for not fixing equipment faster. I got so annoyed with one customer that I told him "I want to do my work properly as I cannot bury my mistakes like you can". That was the last job.
Think working around medical staff “many Drs” is a PITA as well as college deans. I’m an IT Security guy now, and medical and college environments are the worse with attitudes. Love your comment about burying them. “Truth hurts”. 🤣
Well said! I just sent a letter to one of my doctors for prescribing the wrong medication. He told me one thing it does another. I'll be firing him soon; I've fired other doctors before; they're treated like gods! They ain't!
I hope you told that management company they need to be sending the Doctor the bill? Her improper dust management is what is causing the issue (and doing who knows what to the lungs of the people working in there!)
The work that doctor does should be done under decated exhaust fans to keep the dust from the cutting/grinding from entering the building. Plus, anyone working for that doctor should be wearing some type of mask while doing the work. That goes for any customers entering that building. Given the dirty condition of that coil, that doctor needs a professional air filtering system installed.
State of that air cooler some ones been saving money using it without a filter ,my old neighbour did that then complained in hot weather his system running flat out for warm air ,we had ice cold air and system running for short bursts we clean the filters every two weeks high customer count 10000 a week.
Damn, Curtis is badass!!! Good stuff brother! You are the most polite and well mannered tech I've seen on TH-cam and at the same time you will stand your ground. Love it!!!
My instructor in college who was and still is a state HVAC inspector in KY told me. “You don’t have to put up with crap.” And in this instance that applies. Good for you standing up for what’s right and being professional and civilized. Let me do my job and I’ll get you fixed up.
Yes sir Curtis life is too short To fight with people that don't understand what you're doing and why you're doing it. And it doesn't matter how many times you explained to him it's not your fault but the other guy did it's still your fault! So I won't take those jobs anymore either, I don't need the drama!
If a customer or in this case tenant treats you badly or nasty or is angry at you i would not blame you for walking away. I have walked away from abusive clients before. My stress is worth more then one job. Big fan of your channel. Respect
Thanks again for taking us 🇺🇸 along with you definitely 👍 enjoy your thoughts and comments, as you explain the problem and how you figure it out thanks 😊 😀 👍 please 🙏 keep 😊 safe
Now that I'm studying HVAC, I'm very proud of myself about how I treated a tech when the a/c stopped cooling in an old apartment I was in. Showed him where everything was, and put waters in the front in the fridge and told him he was welcome to go in and grab a drink and take one home, then let him work. He ended up making conversation the whole time while I was working on my computer.🤣🤣🤣 Uno reverse card.
I had a lady tell me once you are the 4th guy here WTF are you going to do? I said leave good luck, then her husband ran out and apologized and begged me to find the issue.
My family does the same. Too busy to babysit and sometime deals with the “ I know more than you”. My brother calmly replies “ then why aren’t you fixing it”. He’s slowing down. Gets harder as you get older. Love your persistence
yup learned from Dad, we are installers though, but, you GOTTA read people. My Dad has worked 6 to 7 days a week most his life running hvac company, I've heard him SAY A LOT OF TIMES "Get someone else, not interested" Gotta take the ones worth taking and walk when the walking is good.
This disrespectful behavior comes with the territory and it's not right. I retired this year after 43 year's and I can honestly say, commercial tenant's and owner's are the most difficult compared to homeowners or residential tenant's. There is a thing called ENTITLEMENT that runs amuck in the commercial HVAC service industry that I've dealt with. I have less patience in the commercial field. I too have stood my ground and also called PM's to express my concerns and how I've been treated. Word gets back to the tenant or owner that disrespectful behavior will NOT be tolerated. We're out there to do a service in order to get the working environment comfortable as far as air temp and quality and to have someone bust our balls is uncalled for and I've walked away several times in 43 year's. You're absolutely in the right to call and let the PM's know of your grievances Curtis. Hopefully that kind of disrespect doesn't happen to you very often. The job's are difficult enough in our line of work. Looking forward to seeing this job all completed in the near future. Stay safe and take care out there
That is so out of line to be confrontational with someone that is coming to help you. If I need someone to repair stuff at my home. I always offer a hot or cold beverage depending on the season, clear the area ahead of time where they need to work and say if you need anything please let me know. I ask and listen to their advice on home maintenance, thank them for coming and give the person a cash tip, and imagine that, when you need service again it's prompt and honest. You get what you give. Always be kind, it goes a long way. Great videos!
Yes, I agree with your closing proposition. "Leave me alone and let me work". I would add there is a better way than just "leaving the tech alone"...but it is first up to the homeowner to step up and be competent. That means different things to different people, but here's how I do it. First, I have done the work to become a very DIY competent homeowner with high skills across a number of trades (carpentry, plumbing, welding, sheet metal, tile, woodworking, cabinetry, electrical and electronics, and yeah, I even have my EPA cert.) - I have for almost forty years done most of everything myself - like keeping my 34 year old HVAC system running without a single outside service call in my 27 years of owning it. I have made many repairs - control boards, heat exchangers, blower motors, inducer motors, wiring harnesses, LV transformers, ductwork, you name it - I've fixed it. I'm not guessing about this stuff - on my unit. I know it inside and out, from the register through every inch of duct, piping, supply, wiring, and inside the unit. I have manuals, schematics, spare parts, and a maintenance schedule. Pretty much ditto for every piece of hardware on my property, too. Funny, I'm rarely caught in a crisis with my infrastructure, either. However, when I do need to engage the trades, the first thing I do is have a polite conversation about philosophy of repair. #1 rule: NEVER call "in a rush..." I try to give one-month minimum lead-time for anything - often more. This means pay attention to my unit when it IS working. It means planning and budgeting as a habit and a life cycle. Many symptoms show up long before failures happen. Homeowners just need to pay attention, educate and do preventive maintenance. IME, few do. #2 rule: When I call, when they say "hello XYZ HVAC" I always introduce myself, and QUESTION #1 is always, "So, is now a good time, or can I schedule a time that works better for you?" If I schedule a call, I ALWAYS call back on time. Never stand up a tradesman. EVER. Don't call at lunchtime. Don't call at 4:53 p.m. etc. And, if I use more than a very few minutes of their time on the phone, I offer to pay them for their time. I do not presume it is free. Most decline this payment, but I offer anyway. #3 rule: When we talk, I first establish rapport. I explain that I am not going to be unreasonable. I then cover stuff like roles, responsibilities, limits, expectations, as well as nuts and bolts like access, scheduling, preferred payment, rates, materials, etc. I make VERY sure to listen carefully to the tradesman and make sure he or she is someone I can work with. I also try very hard to be someone they WANT to work with. It takes both - something many homeowners conveniently seem to forget. I do all this BEFORE I get into the details of the scope of work. If the person doesn't have time for this approach, I politely close out the call. They're not the one. #4 rule: When discussing scope of work, if I have HARD DATA on equipment failure, I supply those facts. i.e. "The problem is a failure to answer the call to heat. The thermostat is calling properly, the inducer motor starts, but cycles out after a failure to fire three times. I've checked the flame rollout, manifold gas pressure and the safety switch function. The problem is intermittent. It occurs more on wet days. I have checked manifold pressure, recapped the control board and replaced a microswitch. No recent changes to our gas supply, but I cannot locate the problem." I do not give half-assed diagnostic opinions I read on Facebook or Google...i.e. "I think my control board is bad" or "the unit is low on Freon". IME, you could ask 100 homeowners what's wrong with their air conditioning and about 90% of them would confidently claim their unit was low on Freon. #5 rule: I believe that "Work with" means we can be honest with each other, and that we possess inherently similar philosophies and approaches to excellence and quality (which are two different things, by the way). I need someone who is present, focused and has a basic ability to communicate in a civil and efficient tone. I need someone who respects the skills I possess, and who sees that as an advantage, not a threat. I know what I know, and I am not afraid to say what I know. Even more I am not afraid to say, "I am not qualified to say, as I don't have that skill", when appropriate. Likewise, if a tech says to me "I'm not sure about that", that's actually good. This means he/she is humble enough to admit limits too. In my experience, the guy who always has "the answer" generally has some of those answers wrong. I want someone who is skilled at LEARNING, not just an acorn-hunting blind pig parts changer. I can change parts myself. #6 rule: AFTER establishing rapport, and discussing process, materials, labor, timelines and challenges and scope of work, etc., I always politely give the tradesperson the option of opting out of the job. And, IF I have burned an hour of their time, I insist on paying them for that hour. If they opt out of the job, fine...no hard feelings. If they accept the work, I make sure to progress along MY part of the timeline and expectation line, and I try to TRUST them to do their part. Virtually every one does, and often more. #7 rule: Before we handshake and do the deal, I write down a summary of what I believe we have agreed upon. I go over that in bullet point form. I get agreement from the tradesperson. I promise to hold up MY points. I extend grace to him or her - saying 'Now this is a framework - if conditions change, we'll talk about it, because surprises do happen, right?" That way they know if we find something unexpected and legitimately outside of the scope of our discussion, it is not going to be an emotional explosion by the owner. I think this makes the tradesperson's day a lot better. Lower stress, too. In my experience, by the time I've worked with people like this, I almost NEVER have surprises. With even this cursory weeding-out process I've described, with only one exception in close to 40 years I've never ever had a problem with my interaction with the trades. Moreover, the work they've done has generally been far above average. Not too surprisingly, many of the trades people I came in contact with became friends with whom I've worked and even interacted with in social settings. Amazingly, they always seem to want to show up at my job first thing on Monday morning, too. IMO the problem with "the HVAC trade" is not so much the HVAC trade. I think it takes a little effort by the homeowner / business owner to be a good customer. That includes a little educational effort on our part. All this goes a long way towards making the tradesperson's day a lot better. Do that, and it gets better for everybody. Or folks can be jerks - like this angry doctor with whom I am sorry you had to contend.
good job Curtis some people seem to forget your there to try to help them you did right by telling the property management company you have a job to do on there behalf
Also sounds like the blower wheel needs cleaning. I once had a mouse chew thru the paper filter and get sucked into the wheel, obviously causing the fan to be severely out of balance. This eventually broke the welds on the motor’s spider mount and caused it to drop into the fan housing, locking the rotor. I replaced the welds with self tapping machine screws and she ran another 10 years 24/7. All this to say whenever I hear a fan out of balance I inspect it right away.
Curtis, I am in the electronics business and not HVAC, but I ALWAYS learn something from your videos. It has saved me, and my customers lots of money. You have the right tools and the right attitude. You should NOT take that from any customer, any vendor or any company. There will ALWAYS be more work for techs like you. God Bless.
My favorite trouble call was when the person on the phone kept refusing to tell me where the building was since he had what he called an expensive service contract. He said I was a clown and he was going to call my manager to get me fired. He finally told me the town and building name. I quickly adjusted the outdoor thermostat interlock that was keeping the boiler off. That priest agreed all was good. Was that absolution?
Curtis please get a one man type drywall scaffold to remove and clean that coil. Good way to twist your back trying to balance on a ladder. I hope those employees are aware of the hazard from acrylic dust. OSHA should pay her a visit. Needs an approved filter system . That scaffold rents for $55/day $165 /week at home depot
In that case after brushing coil I would have used the spray on evaporator cleaner. Have a great day. The last 15 years I worked commercial refrigeration. Lots of winners.
I once saw a sign in a business that had several different prices for Hourly labor. Examples: 1. leave me alone $10, 2. watch me $15, Constantly ask questions $20, 4. help me $50. I think they also had a busines card with that on it. Looked like that dental shop needed an in room air cleaner or they can pay you much more than they would to buy and maintain an air cleaner. I have one for working with sheet rock work where it draws the sander air through water to capture the dust; beats breathing it.
I had a feeling the coil would be plugged based off of the type of dust they are generating and the merv 0 rating of that filter they had in there lol 😆 I like to use viper coil cleaner spray can with a pump sprayer and a shop vac with a brush tip on stuff like that.
Good for you Curtis, you always do right by the customer! I can’t stand when people are like oh I’ve had x amount of other companies out here and they didn’t fix this that and the other thing. Well I’m gunna do it right to the best of my ability and don’t ya just love helicopters 😂 nice work Curtis!
I had a customer in a small office where they did accounting for several Midas Muffler shops. Their filter was completely clogged with dust from the NCR paperwork.
People like her suck, we've had the local furnace/A/C guys, electrician and others come to my workplace many times over the years, since I'm the guy that replaces filters and does maintenance on the stuff, and try to troubleshoot, and repair if i can, call the guys in if I can't, I ALWAYS told them I appreciated them coming out and thanked them even though its not MY crap being fixed and I'm not paying the bill anyway, but as a working stiff I can appreciate the guy coming when it's -10 degrees and about that cold in the attic and having to bare hand work on ice cold metal to fix some problem the furnace has so we can have heat, I put myself in their shoes cause Ive been there in other ways having to crawl around hot or freezing, or wet spaces to get at something to fix, clean or whatever. The one furnace A/C guy Ive had to call for repair- the secretary doesnt like him, no idea why, and the boss kind of stiffed him on a new install (he didnt get an opportunity to bid on it) and they had some other contractor do the new installs which pissed this guy off, BUT, because I've been very nice to him over the years like I described above- he will come out if *I* ask him to, otherwise he's screw "________" (the company)
The coil was probably impacted with dust as it was built up on the surface…under highly dusty conditions I usually will add another filter in the AH even though it will affect the airflow….its always easier to change a filter than to clean the coil if it’s getting impacted….after removing surface dust normally you have to blow through it with nitrogen or air pressure of some sort…or water
I've had issues with the infinicon going off on shradders due to oil residue when disconnecting hoses. I always bubble test the cap when it's loose on the port. This will tell me if it's leaking without contaminating the shradder. Even when not leaking it goes off. The inside of the caps will have a bunch of oil when there leaking. But just my experience
Some people have been scammed by so many repair people they begin to think everyone is out to get them. Be professional and honest and a good reputation will get you far. Unfortunately you can't please everyone and they want to take out their frustrations on you or anyone in striking distance. Never take crap from anyone especially if it isn't your fault. (Unfortunately some people will also act like jerks or hard done by in order to garner sympathy and get service for a reduced price as it has worked for them in the past). From one Curtis to another Curtis, keep up with the good work.
Some people just look to vent. It takes a strong tech to stand up to some people with though personalities. I like it cuz the angrier the person the quicker they are to spend money it seams. I've had a couple BDR reps folow me in my day. Makes for an easy upsell. Anyone can fix a plugged coil, it's up to you to change her perspective or her day to day life as premium tech.
Thanx for vids but please consider sharing more of your thought process with us non pros! More narration on the troubleshooting process and explanation would be great!
They need the dust cyclone to get that stuff into the trash instead of the ac filters and eventually evaporator coil always wondered about doing that with other applications this seems more relevant now in these particular settings or situations
You can make as much money as you want by working for people that appreciate you, no need to put up with crap from someone that isn't even paying you. Tell her you don't need her crap and walk away.
They will be replacing evaporator coils there every couple of years. If they don't have better filtration. They will need hepa filtration changed every week or two. A good high merv filter will probably work. The dust that is created while making dentures is very small. And will harden into a cement type material. When it sticks to the wet coil. They would do themselves a solid by including a weekly filter charge. Into the cost of making the dentures.
Really can't understand why if your there to fix a problem that they go outta their way to become a problem some people don't have enough to do I guess but good analysis of regular filter replacement Curtis and maybe the next service call you'll be appreciated be careful and stay safe my friend God love ya
Spray the coil with Nu-Calgon Evap Foaming No Rinse, then brush, then clean brush in a bowl or bucket of hot water with Dawn in it. Don't brush of coil dirt on the customers property. Pour the nasty water outside in the grass or down the toilet. It sounded like the blower wheel had something like paper in it. Did you get it out. Oh, I don't work for home warranty or management companies or apartments or rentals.
I did go back with a vacuum, that just didn’t make it in the video. I do think this’ll need to be pulled, plus it’s not that much work. I’m just going to have to take it back to my shop to do that.
I had to clean a coil on a Rheem condensing unit badly stopped up. clean up messed the grass a bit. Customer called my boss to "bitch". My boss said. "He did what he had to do" and hang up!
Glad it wasn't me. I would have asked her how she would have felt if a customer complained they had been to three other dentists and how none of them got it right.
I just got a complaint the other day, apartment management company, why 2 guys have to be here, and I didn’t like this one, probably didn’t like my answer to why it broke, well I didn’t do the return call, and the other guy told me that she was still complaining about me
Can you vacuum clean and flush that evaporator coil in situ or do you have to remove it to clean it? An industrial setting like that needs a point of production dust collection system to protect the HVAC system and the employees. You can always drop a hint to regulatory authorities about the nuisance dust as a health hazard and possibly fire hazard.
I'm just starting in this business and my first call as a solo maintenance check up and a coil that was caked just like that. Almost a centimeter thick dust and grime. Almost killed their whole system.
That blower motor didn’t sound the healthiest on that air handler. Curtis I have fired several clients over the years, does wonders for mind knowing you’ll not have that headache again. Never need to put up with abuse, life is too short not to be happy.👍🇨🇦
I got to where I left work because of a lot of reasons, attitude and nasty crap and there were some contractors I quit working for because getting paid in a decent time. I never ran out of work. Finally worked strictly on burners on large boilers and usually didn’t have to deal with any crap. Just knees started hurting from kneeling down working on some burners.
As an hvac tech you can’t temporarily move a light fixture or something? Those ceiling tile drop fixtures can usually move a tile or 2 away provide the wire isn’t pull tight. Or lift it and tie it up out of the way.
The depression is self induced and not an excuse to act negative towards others. Anytime someone explains depression to me, I ask, “what do you do with your free time?”. They always reply, “I watch Netflix, play video games, watch the news, scroll through social media, snort coke on weekends”. Well, their is the issue. Crime going up is inevitable due to recession, poor education, low wages etc but again, shouldn’t be an excuse to treat others poorly. Never live your life in fear because it will hold you back in life but always be aware of your surroundings to live another day.
@@NW_drew Political feuding is another reason why people seem so depressed and moody these days. No one thinks in the middle of the road anymore. They are all about one side, and attacking the other. But still like you said, that's no excuse to be belligerent towards those who are trying to help you out, like a HVAC repair tech.
A 4 inch filter instead of that 1 inch filter would help a lot. But really making sure non of that dust got into the system would be important. But probably impossible.
Ive always found doing service type calls for residental customers I was treated on average MUCH more respectfully than when it was a commercial customer. In commercial work you dont usually get a persons actual personality you get the persona they put on at work and its usually a-holey.
It sounds like you did the right thing. The issue I run into from time to time is the workman that will not (or maybe can't) discuss the repair with me.
I would have explained to the customer that I need to SAFELY access the unit by relocation of the light. After relocation of the light, them I’ll come back. When it comes to being safe, I have no problem losing this sale / customer, if they will not comply!
I'm betting the customer thought they were dealing with a clueless idiot that's about to "break everything they look at" from the way you described the griping. seem to get those in every job.
I once was troubleshooting a centrifugal in a 45 story bldg and three of the attorneys that occupied one of the floors that had no a/c kept watching me and telling me it was costing them money because it was too hot for their employees and clients and they were going to charge my company for time lost. At least one of them kept leaning over my shoulder asking how much longer I was going to be. Finally I got fed up, started putting my meters away, and got up to leave. He asked me what the hell I was doing and I told him...I don't tell you how to do your business and I don't need you or your partners telling me how to do mine. If you get out of here and leave me alone I will finish as soon as i can. He looked shocked but then said...You know, you are right we will leave you alone. Fifteen minutes later the centrifugal was back up and making chilled water. We can only take so much and shouldn't have to tolerate abuse from customers.
Our job in the HVACR is one of the most important jobs in the world and we should be proud and let nosy people know about. We should also be paid accordingly!
What freaks me out when a professional is called, then they start tell you what to do and how to do .... Mostly i try to get educational and dive in the observations and possible ways of their meanings and methods to rule out, how they work and what should i expect. If i am good then they freak out after a few minutes and leave me alone :D
@@szpl Pretty funny. Good luck; you'll need it!
I'm an engineer - I understand how machines work and what can go wrong - but if I hire someone else to service something for me, I'm not going to tell him how to do his job or how long it "should" take. I'll trust his experience and judgement. I may ask some questions out of curiosity, but I'll stay out of the way. Amusingly enough, last time I had someone out to service the furnace, he asked for my help because the job needed 3 hands. No discount for my assistance, but he did give me some good, used spare parts.
@@WorldPowerLabs I sounds like a good deal. Your attitude is correct. Same here.
Making service calls for 36 years till I retired I came to the conclusion 90 percent of the customers are great 10 percent and just plan NUTS just my opinion LOL
That goes in all walks of life, I’ve been in sales including door to door for 10 years, should write a book about some of the looneys I’ve encountered
And that 10 percent.... Most ppl wouldn't believe how they act...
Unreasonable people with unreasonable expectations - 45 yrs in the HVAC trade. I tell kind people that I appreciate their kindness.
Very true!
@@eddiekester4125 45 years in hvac! Dang you’re a tough old man lol
I am maintenance at a police dept. They have tons of people like the lady you describe. All the new people hired are told, Don't piss Joe off or you'll be the last to get anything from him. I will totally ignore anyone that tries to treat me like a second hand citizen. Air and heat are the worst. One person freezing while someone 15 feet away is burning up and it is my fault. My boss the chief once asked me what we could do. I told him to tell the city to stop doing lowest bid and try to get me 6 units by at least the same manufacture. We had all the controls done about 5 years ago. From some company in Canada. If a board goes bad I have to ship, wait for customs, explain to customs that it is a warranty repair so they don't charge an outrageous customs fee. Glad I have 2 years left. It gets harder and harder to deal with people.
Right there with ya bro. Talk to you like you're a dog.
@@chuckjohnson919 I once changed one of the secretaries tire in a rain storm because she had a appointment for her elderly mother. Why? Cause she treated me great and would always try and help me. We've been best buds for 33 years now. I cannot handle snotty people.
@@J-Colt I've changed tires batteries went to their homes fixed things for them. Treat me right I treat you right. You're a good man Joe
@@chuckjohnson919 Sound pretty good yourself Chuck, thanks. I do a lot of computer work on the side and take care of a lot of them with that. Slowing down now though ;)
I was thinking that kind of cheap-assing is just a local speciality here... Apparently not :(
It gets hairy when you don't want to lose work from the property management company but also don't want to deal with the crazy tenants. Great video
That air handler taller than a 10 ft. stepladder would scare me away! I would want a scissor-lift.
The "Doctor" probably got a degree on a grading curve😆
That was slick finding that leak finally on a Schrader Valve👍
Great video! 🇺🇸
I had a customer like that one time, it was the store manager at a staples. i was there to work on the alarm system and she was making it impossible to do my job. i got pissed off an called the project manager, i told him i wont go back if she is there lol. next time i showed up it was a diff manager, but she was on the phone with him trying to micro manage. Some people are just nuts, and are so incredibly miserable they will try to jam up a stranger.
The one thing I learned years ago in business, you can't please everyone. Some you can't please at all. There is one in every crowd, and you found one. God Bless
So true
The more we deal with people the more we like our dogs lol
true lol but in my case its a cat
@@Lewdacris916 that absolutely works too 😀
Never let people treat you like crap. There is such demand for quality HVAC pros...you can just ignore and head on over to the next job.
Big 10/4✔️🐉
A lot like my job I have now. ( not HVAC ) I do a skilled job that it seems no one else can do anymore. I just do it for over 20 years and everybody is happy.
Old plant manager used to actually get stupid and give me a hard time over trivial matters. I used to just smile and look at him asking him
" are you really sure you want to do that ? "
I just wanted to say that you are one of the absolute best HVAC technicians I have ever seen, love your work ethic and how professional and polite you are and have seen you go that extra mile many times.
I must have watched around fifty of your videos and enjoyed every one.
When I was a young man I used to be my father in law’s helper and learned how to do the sheet metal cutting, bending , securing and wrap plus install trunk lines etc.
I should have stuck with him and learned the trade, stupid kid you know 😂 but I hated being under houses and in attics, didn’t bother him because he was a tunnel rat in the Green Berets in Vietnam.
May he RIP a great man who I looked up to.
Blower wheel sounds terrible 😔 probably packed also....
Good joss for putting up with the Doctor. I've been in IT for over 15 years, and Doctors, Nurses, and Lawyers always have severe "cranial-rectal impaction" when it comes to working with other professionals.
Those three plus accounts. They really are miserable narcissists.
LOL, so true on the other side of the big water too... I have friends who are in making furniture and carpenter/joiner jobs (i hope those are the correct translations for their job), and they have a regular price and they have an extra charge for "doctors, lawyers, policemen" :) Regarding policemen, respect to who really come to serve and protect, but they have their hands pretty much tied, so majority of the staff here is just there to get a living from a job where practically nobody is sent away.
One word said becomes an assumptive dialogue with nurses.
I am glad and happy you put your feelings out there. I used to work for a large medical equipment manufacturer servicing their equipment at Doctors premises. I have met with what I can only describe as abuse for not fixing equipment faster. I got so annoyed with one customer that I told him "I want to do my work properly as I cannot bury my mistakes like you can". That was the last job.
Think working around medical staff “many Drs” is a PITA as well as college deans. I’m an IT Security guy now, and medical and college environments are the worse with attitudes.
Love your comment about burying them. “Truth hurts”. 🤣
I'm a mechanic and I saw that line used with a doctor once. He was not amused.
I sure was!
Well said! I just sent a letter to one of my doctors for prescribing the wrong medication. He told me one thing it does another. I'll be firing him soon; I've fired other doctors before; they're treated like gods! They ain't!
I'm going to remember that response,good for you!✌️
I hope you told that management company they need to be sending the Doctor the bill? Her improper dust management is what is causing the issue (and doing who knows what to the lungs of the people working in there!)
The work that doctor does should be done under decated exhaust fans to keep the dust from the cutting/grinding from entering the building. Plus, anyone working for that doctor should be wearing some type of mask while doing the work. That goes for any customers entering that building.
Given the dirty condition of that coil, that doctor needs a professional air filtering system installed.
State of that air cooler some ones been saving money using it without a filter ,my old neighbour did that then complained in hot weather his system running flat out for warm air ,we had ice cold air and system running for short bursts we clean the filters every two weeks high customer count 10000 a week.
I was saying denture room as soon as you pulled the filter! Hell on filters
Damn, Curtis is badass!!! Good stuff brother! You are the most polite and well mannered tech I've seen on TH-cam and at the same time you will stand your ground. Love it!!!
That’s right!!! You are REALLY good and it would be their loss! Thank you kindly sir. Thank you for your VALUABLE videos!!!
That's what I love working for yourself, you can tell them to call someone else and move on. 👍
My instructor in college who was and still is a state HVAC inspector in KY told me. “You don’t have to put up with crap.” And in this instance that applies. Good for you standing up for what’s right and being professional and civilized. Let me do my job and I’ll get you fixed up.
I think this includes bosses
Yes sir Curtis life is too short To fight with people that don't understand what you're doing and why you're doing it. And it doesn't matter how many times you explained to him it's not your fault but the other guy did it's still your fault! So I won't take those jobs anymore either, I don't need the drama!
If a customer or in this case tenant treats you badly or nasty or is angry at you i would not blame you for walking away.
I have walked away from abusive clients before. My stress is worth more then one job. Big fan of your channel. Respect
Thanks again for taking us 🇺🇸 along with you definitely 👍 enjoy your thoughts and comments, as you explain the problem and how you figure it out thanks 😊 😀 👍 please 🙏 keep 😊 safe
Good for you Curtis!
Now that I'm studying HVAC, I'm very proud of myself about how I treated a tech when the a/c stopped cooling in an old apartment I was in. Showed him where everything was, and put waters in the front in the fridge and told him he was welcome to go in and grab a drink and take one home, then let him work. He ended up making conversation the whole time while I was working on my computer.🤣🤣🤣 Uno reverse card.
I had a lady tell me once you are the 4th guy here WTF are you going to do? I said leave good luck, then her husband ran out and apologized and begged me to find the issue.
My family does the same. Too busy to babysit and sometime deals with the “ I know more than you”. My brother calmly replies “ then why aren’t you fixing it”. He’s slowing down. Gets harder as you get older.
Love your persistence
Might take a look at the rattle trap. Sounds like the blower veins are impacted as well.
by that do you mean the blower wheel
She was probably huffing all that denture dust for too long, messing her up.
I heard that some people take old dentures ( or steal some ) and burn the material and huff it to get high.
How much effect without burning?
yup learned from Dad, we are installers though, but, you GOTTA read people.
My Dad has worked 6 to 7 days a week most his life running hvac company, I've heard him SAY A LOT OF TIMES "Get someone else, not interested"
Gotta take the ones worth taking and walk when the walking is good.
This disrespectful behavior comes with the territory and it's not right. I retired this year after 43 year's and I can honestly say, commercial tenant's and owner's are the most difficult compared to homeowners or residential tenant's. There is a thing called ENTITLEMENT that runs amuck in the commercial HVAC service industry that I've dealt with. I have less patience in the commercial field. I too have stood my ground and also called PM's to express my concerns and how I've been treated. Word gets back to the tenant or owner that disrespectful behavior will NOT be tolerated. We're out there to do a service in order to get the working environment comfortable as far as air temp and quality and to have someone bust our balls is uncalled for and I've walked away several times in 43 year's. You're absolutely in the right to call and let the PM's know of your grievances Curtis. Hopefully that kind of disrespect doesn't happen to you very often. The job's are difficult enough in our line of work. Looking forward to seeing this job all completed in the near future. Stay safe and take care out there
That is so out of line to be confrontational with someone that is coming to help you. If I need someone to repair stuff at my home. I always offer a hot or cold beverage depending on the season, clear the area ahead of time where they need to work and say if you need anything please let me know. I ask and listen to their advice on home maintenance, thank them for coming and give the person a cash tip, and imagine that, when you need service again it's prompt and honest. You get what you give. Always be kind, it goes a long way. Great videos!
We love the customers like you. It’s a breath of fresh air.
Yes, I agree with your closing proposition. "Leave me alone and let me work". I would add there is a better way than just "leaving the tech alone"...but it is first up to the homeowner to step up and be competent. That means different things to different people, but here's how I do it.
First, I have done the work to become a very DIY competent homeowner with high skills across a number of trades (carpentry, plumbing, welding, sheet metal, tile, woodworking, cabinetry, electrical and electronics, and yeah, I even have my EPA cert.) - I have for almost forty years done most of everything myself - like keeping my 34 year old HVAC system running without a single outside service call in my 27 years of owning it. I have made many repairs - control boards, heat exchangers, blower motors, inducer motors, wiring harnesses, LV transformers, ductwork, you name it - I've fixed it. I'm not guessing about this stuff - on my unit. I know it inside and out, from the register through every inch of duct, piping, supply, wiring, and inside the unit. I have manuals, schematics, spare parts, and a maintenance schedule. Pretty much ditto for every piece of hardware on my property, too. Funny, I'm rarely caught in a crisis with my infrastructure, either.
However, when I do need to engage the trades, the first thing I do is have a polite conversation about philosophy of repair.
#1 rule: NEVER call "in a rush..." I try to give one-month minimum lead-time for anything - often more. This means pay attention to my unit when it IS working. It means planning and budgeting as a habit and a life cycle. Many symptoms show up long before failures happen. Homeowners just need to pay attention, educate and do preventive maintenance. IME, few do.
#2 rule: When I call, when they say "hello XYZ HVAC" I always introduce myself, and QUESTION #1 is always, "So, is now a good time, or can I schedule a time that works better for you?" If I schedule a call, I ALWAYS call back on time. Never stand up a tradesman. EVER. Don't call at lunchtime. Don't call at 4:53 p.m. etc. And, if I use more than a very few minutes of their time on the phone, I offer to pay them for their time. I do not presume it is free. Most decline this payment, but I offer anyway.
#3 rule: When we talk, I first establish rapport. I explain that I am not going to be unreasonable. I then cover stuff like roles, responsibilities, limits, expectations, as well as nuts and bolts like access, scheduling, preferred payment, rates, materials, etc. I make VERY sure to listen carefully to the tradesman and make sure he or she is someone I can work with. I also try very hard to be someone they WANT to work with. It takes both - something many homeowners conveniently seem to forget. I do all this BEFORE I get into the details of the scope of work. If the person doesn't have time for this approach, I politely close out the call. They're not the one.
#4 rule: When discussing scope of work, if I have HARD DATA on equipment failure, I supply those facts. i.e. "The problem is a failure to answer the call to heat. The thermostat is calling properly, the inducer motor starts, but cycles out after a failure to fire three times. I've checked the flame rollout, manifold gas pressure and the safety switch function. The problem is intermittent. It occurs more on wet days. I have checked manifold pressure, recapped the control board and replaced a microswitch. No recent changes to our gas supply, but I cannot locate the problem." I do not give half-assed diagnostic opinions I read on Facebook or Google...i.e. "I think my control board is bad" or "the unit is low on Freon". IME, you could ask 100 homeowners what's wrong with their air conditioning and about 90% of them would confidently claim their unit was low on Freon.
#5 rule: I believe that "Work with" means we can be honest with each other, and that we possess inherently similar philosophies and approaches to excellence and quality (which are two different things, by the way). I need someone who is present, focused and has a basic ability to communicate in a civil and efficient tone. I need someone who respects the skills I possess, and who sees that as an advantage, not a threat. I know what I know, and I am not afraid to say what I know. Even more I am not afraid to say, "I am not qualified to say, as I don't have that skill", when appropriate. Likewise, if a tech says to me "I'm not sure about that", that's actually good. This means he/she is humble enough to admit limits too. In my experience, the guy who always has "the answer" generally has some of those answers wrong. I want someone who is skilled at LEARNING, not just an acorn-hunting blind pig parts changer. I can change parts myself.
#6 rule: AFTER establishing rapport, and discussing process, materials, labor, timelines and challenges and scope of work, etc., I always politely give the tradesperson the option of opting out of the job. And, IF I have burned an hour of their time, I insist on paying them for that hour. If they opt out of the job, fine...no hard feelings. If they accept the work, I make sure to progress along MY part of the timeline and expectation line, and I try to TRUST them to do their part. Virtually every one does, and often more.
#7 rule: Before we handshake and do the deal, I write down a summary of what I believe we have agreed upon. I go over that in bullet point form. I get agreement from the tradesperson. I promise to hold up MY points. I extend grace to him or her - saying 'Now this is a framework - if conditions change, we'll talk about it, because surprises do happen, right?" That way they know if we find something unexpected and legitimately outside of the scope of our discussion, it is not going to be an emotional explosion by the owner. I think this makes the tradesperson's day a lot better. Lower stress, too.
In my experience, by the time I've worked with people like this, I almost NEVER have surprises. With even this cursory weeding-out process I've described, with only one exception in close to 40 years I've never ever had a problem with my interaction with the trades. Moreover, the work they've done has generally been far above average. Not too surprisingly, many of the trades people I came in contact with became friends with whom I've worked and even interacted with in social settings. Amazingly, they always seem to want to show up at my job first thing on Monday morning, too.
IMO the problem with "the HVAC trade" is not so much the HVAC trade. I think it takes a little effort by the homeowner / business owner to be a good customer. That includes a little educational effort on our part. All this goes a long way towards making the tradesperson's day a lot better. Do that, and it gets better for everybody.
Or folks can be jerks - like this angry doctor with whom I am sorry you had to contend.
good job Curtis some people seem to forget your there to try to help them you did right by telling the property management company you have a job to do on there behalf
I remember a customer long ago who made dentures; had a large system with thick filters. It needed replacement/cleaning virtually daily. Horror job!
Would the no rinse coil cleaner help? They need a dedicated dust recovery system if they don’t have one
This setup clearly needs some better filters. This lint catcher is clearly not enough to deal with such dusty environment.
Also sounds like the blower wheel needs cleaning. I once had a mouse chew thru the paper filter and get sucked into the wheel, obviously causing the fan to be severely out of balance. This eventually broke the welds on the motor’s spider mount and caused it to drop into the fan housing, locking the rotor. I replaced the welds with self tapping machine screws and she ran another 10 years 24/7.
All this to say whenever I hear a fan out of balance I inspect it right away.
Curtis, I am in the electronics business and not HVAC, but I ALWAYS learn something from your videos. It has saved me, and my customers lots of money. You have the right tools and the right attitude. You should NOT take that from any customer, any vendor or any company. There will ALWAYS be more work for techs like you. God Bless.
I appreciate the videos man it’s very motivating and encouraging! You do great work we need more like you!
Zero abuse…it’s that simple 🤷♂️
I had a call like this in Florida. They were changing filters every couple of days. Ended up installing a 4" diagonal filter box.
My favorite trouble call was when the person on the phone kept refusing to tell me where the building was since he had what he called an expensive service contract. He said I was a clown and he was going to call my manager to get me fired. He finally told me the town and building name.
I quickly adjusted the outdoor thermostat interlock that was keeping the boiler off. That priest agreed all was good. Was that absolution?
Curtis please get a one man type drywall scaffold to remove and clean that coil. Good way to twist your back trying to balance on a ladder. I hope those employees are aware of the hazard from acrylic dust. OSHA should pay her a visit. Needs an approved filter system . That scaffold rents for $55/day $165 /week at home depot
takes too much time to set up and tear down, he was only on the ladder for an hour or so. not worth transporting it and all the other logistics
@@Lewdacris916 A one man roll a round scaffold takes ten minutes at most to set up . He injures himself he is out of business.
@@hughholt121 fair enough
In that case after brushing coil I would have used the spray on evaporator cleaner. Have a great day. The last 15 years I worked commercial refrigeration. Lots of winners.
Yes I was wondering if coil cleaner would have helped but I also would be afraid the drain lines would be plugged up.
That system needs an improved return air system and a better intake air …. Good luck 🇺🇸👊🏼🪚🔨👊🏼✌🏼🇺🇸
One of the best on the internet
I once saw a sign in a business that had several different prices for Hourly labor. Examples: 1. leave me alone $10, 2. watch me $15, Constantly ask questions $20, 4. help me $50. I think they also had a busines card with that on it.
Looked like that dental shop needed an in room air cleaner or they can pay you much more than they would to buy and maintain an air cleaner. I have one for working with sheet rock work where it draws the sander air through water to capture the dust; beats breathing it.
Good for you, being nice to people matters.
I used to get customers like that while doing appliance repair.
I had a feeling the coil would be plugged based off of the type of dust they are generating and the merv 0 rating of that filter they had in there lol 😆 I like to use viper coil cleaner spray can with a pump sprayer and a shop vac with a brush tip on stuff like that.
Good for you Curtis, you always do right by the customer! I can’t stand when people are like oh I’ve had x amount of other companies out here and they didn’t fix this that and the other thing. Well I’m gunna do it right to the best of my ability and don’t ya just love helicopters 😂 nice work Curtis!
Customer is always right 😂😂 . You always get a few of them, good ones who are pleased to see you make up for it 👍👍
I had a customer in a small office where they did accounting for several Midas Muffler shops. Their filter was completely clogged with dust from the NCR paperwork.
People like her suck, we've had the local furnace/A/C guys, electrician and others come to my workplace many times over the years, since I'm the guy that replaces filters and does maintenance on the stuff, and try to troubleshoot, and repair if i can, call the guys in if I can't, I ALWAYS told them I appreciated them coming out and thanked them even though its not MY crap being fixed and I'm not paying the bill anyway, but as a working stiff I can appreciate the guy coming when it's -10 degrees and about that cold in the attic and having to bare hand work on ice cold metal to fix some problem the furnace has so we can have heat, I put myself in their shoes cause Ive been there in other ways having to crawl around hot or freezing, or wet spaces to get at something to fix, clean or whatever.
The one furnace A/C guy Ive had to call for repair- the secretary doesnt like him, no idea why, and the boss kind of stiffed him on a new install (he didnt get an opportunity to bid on it) and they had some other contractor do the new installs which pissed this guy off, BUT, because I've been very nice to him over the years like I described above- he will come out if *I* ask him to, otherwise he's screw "________" (the company)
Anyone who hires you gets a gem!
The coil was probably impacted with dust as it was built up on the surface…under highly dusty conditions I usually will add another filter in the AH even though it will affect the airflow….its always easier to change a filter than to clean the coil if it’s getting impacted….after removing surface dust normally you have to blow through it with nitrogen or air pressure of some sort…or water
I've had issues with the infinicon going off on shradders due to oil residue when disconnecting hoses. I always bubble test the cap when it's loose on the port. This will tell me if it's leaking without contaminating the shradder. Even when not leaking it goes off. The inside of the caps will have a bunch of oil when there leaking. But just my experience
actually have friends in dentals labs.... most have dual or 3 stage filtration on the air. With large graduating filters. not a single filter.
Some people have been scammed by so many repair people they begin to think everyone is out to get them. Be professional and honest and a good reputation will get you far. Unfortunately you can't please everyone and they want to take out their frustrations on you or anyone in striking distance. Never take crap from anyone especially if it isn't your fault. (Unfortunately some people will also act like jerks or hard done by in order to garner sympathy and get service for a reduced price as it has worked for them in the past). From one Curtis to another Curtis, keep up with the good work.
Some people just look to vent. It takes a strong tech to stand up to some people with though personalities. I like it cuz the angrier the person the quicker they are to spend money it seams. I've had a couple BDR reps folow me in my day. Makes for an easy upsell. Anyone can fix a plugged coil, it's up to you to change her perspective or her day to day life as premium tech.
Thanx for vids but please consider sharing more of your thought process with us non pros! More narration on the troubleshooting process and explanation would be great!
They need the dust cyclone to get that stuff into the trash instead of the ac filters and eventually evaporator coil always wondered about doing that with other applications this seems more relevant now in these particular settings or situations
Walk.. if you are good you will have all the business you can handle.
That is why your tool bag has a handle on it, you can pick it up and walk away. There are always other jobs. Well done!
I’d tell the property management company that I have a strict muzzle policy. That they tell their tenant to keep their mouths shut otherwise I walk.
I love when u can fire ur customers…..BYE BYE BERTHA!!! Take my skills where they are appreciated 💪🏽✌🏽great work Curtis !!!
You can make as much money as you want by working for people that appreciate you, no need to put up with crap from someone that isn't even paying you. Tell her you don't need her crap and walk away.
I’m impressed!!, You were right, there was a leak!!! 👍
The fact that the 5 other companies didn't bother to use a little blue or some soapy water the check the valves and caps ,amazes me.
They will be replacing evaporator coils there every couple of years. If they don't have better filtration. They will need hepa filtration changed every week or two. A good high merv filter will probably work. The dust that is created while making dentures is very small. And will harden into a cement type material. When it sticks to the wet coil. They would do themselves a solid by including a weekly filter charge. Into the cost of making the dentures.
Really can't understand why if your there to fix a problem that they go outta their way to become a problem some people don't have enough to do I guess but good analysis of regular filter replacement Curtis and maybe the next service call you'll be appreciated be careful and stay safe my friend God love ya
They need a better system too vent all that stuff or catch it better before it gets into the A/C SYSTEM
Spray the coil with Nu-Calgon Evap Foaming No Rinse, then brush, then clean brush in a bowl or bucket of hot water with Dawn in it. Don't brush of coil dirt on the customers property. Pour the nasty water outside in the grass or down the toilet. It sounded like the blower wheel had something like paper in it. Did you get it out. Oh, I don't work for home warranty or management companies or apartments or rentals.
I did go back with a vacuum, that just didn’t make it in the video. I do think this’ll need to be pulled, plus it’s not that much work. I’m just going to have to take it back to my shop to do that.
I had to clean a coil on a Rheem condensing unit badly stopped up. clean up messed the grass a bit. Customer called my boss to "bitch". My boss said. "He did what he had to do" and hang up!
Glad it wasn't me. I would have asked her how she would have felt if a customer complained they had been to three other dentists and how none of them got it right.
*HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA*
I just got a complaint the other day, apartment management company, why 2 guys have to be here, and I didn’t like this one, probably didn’t like my answer to why it broke, well I didn’t do the return call, and the other guy told me that she was still complaining about me
Can you vacuum clean and flush that evaporator coil in situ or do you have to remove it to clean it? An industrial setting like that needs a point of production dust collection system to protect the HVAC system and the employees. You can always drop a hint to regulatory authorities about the nuisance dust as a health hazard and possibly fire hazard.
Yes call the EPA on them!
Keep up the excellent work. People just do not know how to talk to one another.
Omg Curtis, I was cracking up at the end. Some people just don't get how easy you can walk away lol.
I'm a New Yorker, we don't put up with anyone's bullshit.
I'm just starting in this business and my first call as a solo maintenance check up and a coil that was caked just like that. Almost a centimeter thick dust and grime. Almost killed their whole system.
Glad to see you are using a “kneeling Pad”, it a great investment 👍.
That blower motor didn’t sound the healthiest on that air handler. Curtis I have fired several clients over the years, does wonders for mind knowing you’ll not have that headache again. Never need to put up with abuse, life is too short not to be happy.👍🇨🇦
I got to where I left work because of a lot of reasons, attitude and nasty crap and there were some contractors I quit working for because getting paid in a decent time. I never ran out of work. Finally worked strictly on burners on large boilers and usually didn’t have to deal with any crap. Just knees started hurting from kneeling down working on some burners.
I have walked out on costumers like that before. I told them politely I'm sorry I can't work on this circumstances free to call someone else.
As an hvac tech you can’t temporarily move a light fixture or something? Those ceiling tile drop fixtures can usually move a tile or 2 away provide the wire isn’t pull tight. Or lift it and tie it up out of the way.
It's best not to touch things that are not his responsibility. If he does something to break the light or ceiling then it's on him to fix it.
I like the way you work, a professional in all areas👍
Good job Curtis, Some people are just not happy about a lot of things, especially with all the depression and crime going around.
The depression is self induced and not an excuse to act negative towards others. Anytime someone explains depression to me, I ask, “what do you do with your free time?”. They always reply, “I watch Netflix, play video games, watch the news, scroll through social media, snort coke on weekends”. Well, their is the issue. Crime going up is inevitable due to recession, poor education, low wages etc but again, shouldn’t be an excuse to treat others poorly. Never live your life in fear because it will hold you back in life but always be aware of your surroundings to live another day.
Okay sure, not doing what you think ,but whatever.
@@NW_drew Political feuding is another reason why people seem so depressed and moody these days. No one thinks in the middle of the road anymore. They are all about one side, and attacking the other. But still like you said, that's no excuse to be belligerent towards those who are trying to help you out, like a HVAC repair tech.
A 4 inch filter instead of that 1 inch filter would help a lot. But really making sure non of that dust got into the system would be important. But probably impossible.
Ive always found doing service type calls for residental customers I was treated on average MUCH more respectfully than when it was a commercial customer. In commercial work you dont usually get a persons actual personality you get the persona they put on at work and its usually a-holey.
We call them alternate universe customers!
It sounds like you did the right thing. The issue I run into from time to time is the workman that will not (or maybe can't) discuss the repair with me.
if you are a tenant they might get in trouble for telling you
Good job Curtis!! No one deserves to be treated like that, especially when you're trying to help them. Let her find someone else.
She won't! Her attitude proves that 😆🤪
I would have explained to the customer that I need to SAFELY access the unit by relocation of the light. After relocation of the light, them I’ll come back. When it comes to being safe, I have no problem losing this sale / customer, if they will not comply!
At some point you pull the coil and:
A) Replace
B) Pressure check and then Clean with chemicals.
C) Brush - NO NO NO
D) Run, Run Run
May as well replace that indoor coil. If you were to pump down and remove for cleaning, it would develop a leak shortly after if it ain't already.
Yes working with the public is a pain but every now and then you will have a good day
I'm betting the customer thought they were dealing with a clueless idiot that's about to "break everything they look at" from the way you described the griping. seem to get those in every job.
I've worked for companies in commercial where the customers that are known to be difficult got charged higher rate.
Great videos.They need a 5”pleated filter on that bad boy.😜
Good for you ! You are a great Tech . There are plenty of "nice" people out there . Let someone else deal with the other 10 percent !
It too looks like poor vacuum or speedy tech introduced air while changing. Watch head pressure fluctuations