I watch 4 different HVAC you tubers. Everybody has a unique personality. I never considered Steve L a dick. He is rough at the edges, but likely how he was raised. Ted C Was likely raised by a God fearing family
I like watching Steve Lav and you, but it's almost like culture shock switching between the two of you excellent tradesman. Steve's the quintessential fast talking, no holds barred, plumber with the Northeastern drawl; Ted's the slow talking, cautious, soft spoken Southeastern country gentlemen HVAC technician. Both are a joy to watch and are not only entertaining, but very educational in their presentations. Thanks to the both of you for taking the time to make these videos.
Steve is lucky in that he usually gets to work in a basement or sometimes an attic. Personally, I like Steve's videos more since he repairs boilers and does a great job of demonstrating how to install sheet metal. Personally, I have never had to work in a crawlspace and running the main drain outside is against code where I live.
@@picklerix6162 I'm curious when you say main drain are you talking about the condensate? Why would that be against code to dump on the lawn outside of your house? It's just fresh water.
And that is the difference between a troubleshooter and a parts changer.The parts changer is a salesman and the troubleshooter is a true technician/ artist. Salud.
Agreed ! Mine is in the basement. Clean, dry, and after 13 + years it looks like it was installed yesterday. I do yearly maintenance on it and I have not had a problem with it yet. Leaving it exposed to heat, cold, and humidity must surely shorten its lifespan.
Their only other option would be to install in the living space, that cuts down on valuable sqft! A crawlspace install can be OK, if the space is well taken care of. I've been in a number of nice crawlspaces
The only furnace I've ever seen in a crawl up here was one I'd clean every fall for a elderly friend. An old green cast iron anchor from 1951. Sadly their main HVAC guy retired, and everyone else gave them quotes instead of touching it. I never accepted cash from them, so cleaning it was literally a piece of cake, or cookies, and a dinner plate.
Worked for a corporate restaurant as the night cleaner under contract (one of many contracts I had) for eleven years. Within those years have thwarted many attempts to scam the franchise owner by various companies. The two that sticks out is the company that installed all of the gas appliances, primarily the eight element gas stove top, as well as the gas convection oven. The gas stove top has a small copper tube (pilot lights, eight in total) which are always burning a small flame, all the time. Eventually the tubes will build up a crust inside and not be able to hold a flame. Owner called the original installers to check it out, which they did. The company stated to the owner that the pilot lights were "burned out". The company suggested that all eight had to be replaced instead of one at a time, at $15 a piece. Owner agreed to having the job done the next day. With a cleaning audit needing to be done due to the regional manager coming by for an inspection, as I was discussing the cleaning details, the owner mentioned that I would need to stay longer to let the gas company in to fix the pilot light situation. I explained that the service he agreed to was not a necessary expense to fix, and that I can do all eight while I clean the restaurant that night. Owner told me exactly what the gas company said and I explained that the gas company was wrong and that I would be right in to prove it. I showed up, and with the owner beside me at the stovetop, took off one of the pilot light gas feeder tubes out of one of the elements, and showed him that the full lengths of each tube is hollow. Each tube has a mushroom shaped top with six tiny holes just under the mushroom cap, to allow the gas to flow through, which had a crusty buildup, therefore no gas flowing through. I took the top off of the hollow tube and showed him the crusty build up, in the tube itself, which had indeed occured over time. I also showed him that there was nothing in the entire tube set up that could possibly "burn out". We agreed that if I could fix the problem that night, I would still stay until the repairman shows up and refuse the service call, which I did. All I needed to do was heat up each tube, one at a time and simply burn off/out the crust. I very much enjoyed letting the gas repairman know that the problem was fixed while I locked up the restaurant, and went home. Owner was happy I saved him $120 for new tubes and an additional $50 for the service call as well as a lobour charge of $125 for a total of $295 saved, but, I did not even get a free dinner out of it. Go figure. The second time around with this company was due to the convection oven door not closing properly. The moron the company sent decided to grind the top of door so that it would close properly. Guess what? Did not work, entirely.This jack off destroyed a perfect fully good oven door which could now not maintain heat due to not sealing/tightly and closing at the top. Noticed the damage to the door that night, and called the owner. Owner explained why it was done, and I explained that this did not fix the problem, but made it worse, and that the solution was very simple to fix had I been made aware of it. Met with the owner the next morning and had the oven doors and plates removed for him to see. I showed him that the doors open and close by a one gear chain system, much like a bike in the older days before gear shifts. A 1/4" metal peg which is inserted at the bottom of the left door snapped, which threw the doors off balance. You see, the left door has a solid bar which slipped into a coupling brace. Each had a hole drilled into them at the manufacturing stage. The doors were off lined which caused the jamming effect. Boss was very pissed, however I told him it was an easy fix, if he would allow me to do so. He agreed, and when a corporate hardware store, just across the parking lot opened its doors I purchased a 4' long 1/4" stainless steel rod, cut and inserted the needed sized peg, and it rebalanced the doors and closed properly. Once again, no free dinner! Kind of got used to it after awhile. Respect!
I have a furnace like that one that would run for a couple seconds then shut off. Had several people come look at it and they never got it working right. Replaced the control board, the valve, and the jets. The last guy said we needed to replace the entire unit. I looked online and found that the fan shaped gas guides were packed full of dust. It was bad enough that the gas wasn't able to move the flame from one jet to the next and the flame sensor would shut it down. Blowing the fan shaped guides with a can of air cleared the dust out and we haven't had a problem since (early factory ones the prone to rusting too.) Blowing those out has become a normal part of changing the filters now. Because of all the work that has been done, I now have a spare flame sensor, working control board, and a full set of gas guides... As well as more knowledge of how to fix a Trane than someone like me should know. I just know that anything to do with the gas line is more than I should mess with and will leave that to people that know it better than I do.
I love your videos so much. I’m an estimator and I’ve learned so much from you. I will NEVER tell someone to replace if it’s not necessary and it hurts my heart to see how often this is done. I’m so blessed to work for an honest company but they seem so few and far between these days. It doesn’t make me feel very good about humanity 👎 especially when it’s an elderly woman!!!!!
Sometimes things need to be replaced. Like an old car it still work but could die at any time. People need to realize all these units have s life expectancy plus or minus years due to the environment. Unfortunately the real old school heat guys always say no it fine , ain’t broke don’t fix it and that’s not always true. Sometimes we need to use our heads and do some preventative maintenance. Especially when those same old school guys don’t carry inspection cameras so they don’t see all the cracks in the heat exchanger.
I realize (and respect) your stance on DIY maintenance on heating equipment - however, the last three "professionals" (all of them licensed and trained HVAC techs) I've had service my furnace have screwed up, each in their own, unique way. The original installer butchered the wiring, terminating the armored BX cable in a manner that could have easily resulted in a short circuit, never tested the furnace for smoke, improperly adjusted the barometric damper, and improperly configured the ECM blower control board for an AC system I don't have (which caused error lights and random blower operation - it was calling for dehumidification). I repaired the wiring, read the manual for the control board, and fixed the error indicators. I called a second tech in to fine-tune the furnace for sooting issues, and he simply cleaned the unit, opened the air band a bit, and charged me $200 for the service call - which would be fine if that solved the sooting issue (it didn't). I called a THIRD "professional" and he found the adjustment issue with the barometric air dam, and found the nozzle was physically damaged (likely during install) which may have caused the sooting issue and changed it out with a new one - but he installed a 60 degree nozzle on a furnace that requires an 80 degree nozzle, which could damage the combustion chamber in the long run. So, I ask... what is a homeowner to do, if all we're "supposed" to do is depend on "professionals?" As far as I'm concerned, I don't mind reading service manuals and spending hundreds on testing equipment if it means I 1) Get the job done RIGHT, and 2) Remain self-sufficient. As a kid, my dad never hired a single professional for anything, including furnace repair and maintenance - he was a machinist and auto mechanic by trade, and shared almost all of his knowledge with me. Personally, I've installed one gas-fired direct-vent furnace in my old house which is still running smoothly five years later, and I watched a "professional" sell my neighbor a new $2,000 furnace when all he needed was a $13 thermocouple (but I'm not a professional, so he wouldn't listen to what I was telling him). I'm fine paying someone good money if it means the job is done right and proper, but thus far, I seem to have a higher standard of what's right and proper than they do.
Amen. Had a license refrigerator repairman charge $300 parts and labor. Still didnt work. Read up on refrigerators and diagnostic. Just a clogged drip tube in freezer. Water backed up and froze so thick door wouldn't shut. Then that thawed, water all over the floor. Obvious as hell.
I had the same issue with the water tube blocked up fixed it myself. I had a French door fridge; freezer that would freeze the bottom veggies the renter could don’t live with. I called an outfit a nerdy dude shows up with all the high-tech tools could not figure it out called his buddy no luck he said he was unfixable. So, we spent $1,400.00 bought a new unit gave the old one to my brother. Brother called few days later fixed it for $20.00 the vent blowing air needed a diverter on it. I called the tech got my tech charge back but my boss lost $1,400.00 buying a unit not needed.
its nice when you have guys that actually care about what they do and doing whats best for their customer. To be honest if its something i cant fix i typically call my grandmother and shes always got a number of a guy that someone knows personally that can do what ever i need. To me these are the best type of businessmen. You sir are a great man and thank you for everything you do for people.
Here is a perfect example why I decided to do refrigeration instead of HVAC. I service commercial accounts so very rarely have to go into craw spaces. God bless you guys who do it. Refrigeration racks are in some type of mechanical room and my HVAC is mostly on the roof, or inside of the building. Good video by the way.
I think I’d head home and soak in a nice warm tub after this job. I’m a little older than you, my joints were aching after watching you do this. Hats off to you.
I can almost guarantee that's what happened. You get these one-stop-shop companies that hire under-experienced employees and send them out in a clean shirt and slacks and expect them to want to go crawling under a house to do a proper inspection of the system. Just watching the video you could pretty much tell the unit had not been submerged anytime in the last several days with the dry ground under it and lack of any water lines or marks on the face of the unit, and anyone who got in there far enough to see that would never have said it was submerged recently. This is why it is important to get a second opinion when it comes to large decisions like replacing your furnace!
Problem is customers want you to crawl on mud for a $75 service call. Then the bitch about the rate. If I went there, I'd tell her "she's Al leaker momma" (Credit to Steve Lav). Ask them if they want to pay $200 for me to crawl on mud. Good enough for this neighborhood.
@@joeperezic6625 problem is customers earn $10 an hour and expect $75 to be something worth having, sure you can ask $200 for gettig out of bed, good luck
@@jusb1066 There are people bagging groceries that make more that $10 an hour. I'm honestly not sure how someone could live on their own on $10 an hour in most places. Just rent.... Like $600. That's more than half a months pay after taxes. I've made it, it sucks. I make a lot more now, it's better.
I’ve been watching your channel for quite a few years. If no one has said this lately to you. Thank you for being such a honest professional and charging only for what’s needed! 👍
I'm glad someone said this! It seems like its few and far between these days to find anyone to give you a good honest assessment of a system and not try to oversell you in the process.
Just wanted to thank you for making these videos. Im getting into the trade soon. Start school the end of this month and I look forward to striving for honest good work and be the professional the customers deserve. I have always taken pride in what I do no matter what it is to do the job in an honest and correct manner. Never been the one to just slap things together. Thank you for taking the time to make this content. I have learned a lot from your videos! Keep it up! Your sure helpin this new guy to the trade understand that craftsmanship and professionalism is important in this trade.
Thanks for letting us watch your whole process of changing the gas valve. For the longest time I would tighten gas pipe so tight being afraid it would leak. You and everyone else I've worked with has shown me it really doesn't have to be cranked down that hard. I got laid off of my company at the end of April due to Covid causing business to be slow. You made me think of them when you talked about those commissioned HVAC/Plumbing companies which is what mine was. I was the only one let go and I know that it's because I'm too honest to be commission, I was the only tech who wasn't selling 2 furnaces a week. The only furnaces I ever sold were because they had cracked heat exchangers, I don't like making people get things they don't need you know? Kinda wish I could work for you since you value honesty in your work.
Half ..... don’t change the way you are. Getting laid off that shitty company was the best thing for you longterm. Having a honest reputation will take you so much further in life compared to a quick sell. Anyone can be a used car salesman. And that’s what most HVAC techs act like these days. Conmen selling used cars at BillyBobs Auto.
I like the fact you use the tap test as a diagnostic tool. I`ve used it for 40 years. it catch`s a lot of intermittent problems with relays, circuit boards, hi limits etc.
Really can't stand technicians that lie to you about what's wrong with your equipment. Bunch of rip off artists, especially when they're dealing with the elderly or people that don't know anything about mechanical or electrical. They're just easy targets. I really appreciate when you see a technician like him who does the right thing, only changes things if they need to be changed. Also really appreciated the conversation he had with the lady. There are a lot of people that could take lessons on how you should speak to another human being.
I've recently built a small home for my family. I watched this channel and others for a few weeks to learn how to install a Goodman packaged unit. After a few weeks of learning, Tommy, from Chireno Air Conditioning, did a great job installing our Trane system! My family thanks you for saving them from me.
I love how your two first diagnostic weapons of choice are the multimeter and 11 in one screwdriver. Man if those things could talk the stories they would say. I use those two and a manometer and combustion analyzer when i get further into it but those are my two starters on any problem. Red seal Journeyman Plumber/Gasfitter from Canada. As a gasfitter I fix the heating side of many a furnace. One of my journeyman was hvac trained so i sub him out for my ac or tin stuff. Great video , Ted! Keep up the good work!
I used to know a commissioned HVAC tech and he sold more equipment than anybody else in the company. He would always tell customers that their compressor or furnace could fail any day because it was too old and no longer covered under warranty. He said that his sales pitch usually worked on old people and women because they were very frightened to lose their A/C (or heat). If the customer just wanted a repair rather than replacement, he would leave burned wires/connectors on the replaced contactors and capacitors so that his prophecy of HVAC failure would come sooner rather than later. In other words, he never stripped the burned wires back to good copper and he never replaced the bad push-on connectors. Nowadays, commissioned techs are even more aggressive in my opinion because they are constantly trying to rip off my neighbors.
I just love this guy's videos. He's obviously an HVAC contractor first, and a video producer second, but he's such a great teacher, and entertaining too. Nice work.
Thanks for making such a great video! Because of experts like you posting videos like this, I have been able to continually learn more quality information about residential HVAC systems and become a better home inspector because of it! I just became a subscriber and look forward to checking out more of your videos!
The biggest complaint i have is that most repair "technicians" is that they are not so much diagnostic technicians but part changers... as in keep changing parts until the problem goes away... at least when they aren't trying to convince you to let them change the furnace. A friend of mine had a problem with his furnace and four different technicians looked at it and told him different things. One told him it was the motherboard, and possibly the thermostat, one told him the motherboard. one told him the igniter and one "diagnosed" the draft inducer as the problem. Two of them recommended replacing the furnace. When he told me this I explained that "possibly the thermostat" isn't possible. It's just a switch and either it calls for heat or it doesn''t so possibly just isn't possible. But he gave me the furnace information and I downloaded the manual for it and discovered that the motherboard does a self test when it powers up and if there is a problem will tell you with a continuous red diaode. Third, when the furnace won't start, the motherboard will flash an error code the meaning of which is printed in the manual but also inside the furnace cover panel. When I went over to look, the code I got (7 flashes if i remember) indicated a gas supply issue and since the gas water heater beside the furnace worked fine the problem was likely with the gas control valve. I arranged for a fifth technician to check the gas supply issue and the valve tturned out to be the problem. It was replace and fired up right away after. So the guy paid 4 licensed technbicians to give him a diagnosis which wasn't even close but which they could have figured out if they had bothered to read the fault codes. These guys don't seem to really care about diagnosing the actual problem or maybe they do and see it as an opportunity to cashe in on a trusting homeowner. If they change the motherboard and it doesn't work, they can charge for that work and charge again to change another part and keep charging until the problem goes away.... All the changed parts will be bad (of course) and not changed uneccessarily, so the bill just keeps getting bigger. Although I am pretty sure the technician that "diagnosed" the draft inducer was just angling to sell a new furnace because he quoted $1600 to replace it but said it would be better to just get a new furnace. That really pissed me off because it ran when I tested it. While that was my first experience with a newer furnace I have learned that when there is a problem first check the error codes so you have an idea of where the problem may be before the technician arrives.
Really? You have diagnostic codes for valve? Most furnaces will show flame sense error code when gas valve doesn't work. Apparently you are a bigger expert. Go on fix it yoursef. We recognize you as a hero and as a self appointed consumer guardian.
They blow through techs at a scary pace lot's of outfits don't pay a decent wage .So the techs see what is charged and what they are paid they quit after a couple years then try to start their own circus .
I’ve been doing HVAC for 43 years. I love to watch your videos. Honesty is almost a thing of the past. In my part of the country we also have those big companies who wanna replace everything. The only thing they are servicing is their own bank account
So glad to see this back! I started watching yesterday (a bit longer video and a bit different title) then stopped for chow, then when I went back was not allowed to watch. Thank you for putting it back as I was seriously wondering about how it ends!
I noticed that and I told myself that he left it loose so he could purge the line, when he turned on the gas, but with that design it would purge its self. I kept waiting to see him tighten the union.
I was also taught to never reuse black iron nipples as the deform when properly tightened. Also, he clearly stated that a thread protector was improperly used as a coupler, but didn’t correct it.
When he said "two days" I knew he was right, I was thinking it got flooded years ago. Didnt realize they were thinking a matter of days, no way that thing was under water
Didn't see you you check for gas leaks. In UK we have to test with a manometer back at the meter. I use soapy water on my new joints before checking from the meter. It's not unknown for old joints to leak when pipes are disturbed, otherwise you are trusting that previous work was done properly and often it's not.
What does that copper tap feed? In my area, we had to rework any copper gas ties for black iron pipe etc. Basically anytime the gas is turned off for 6 months or longer, the gas company requires a gas pressure test. The cities in my area also require copper gas piping to be removed and replaced with approved materials. I noticed the union tightness too. I can only hope and assume you tightened it before you left.
Awesome. You may have done it off camera did you tighten the Union on the gas line? We see the same rip off artists on the plumbing side. One hit wonders. I love the service side of our trades. When people rip off good customers it gives us all a black eye. Plenty of legitimate business to be done with fair compensation for all. No reason to for dishonesty in this industry.
I'm just curious, wasn't there one water pipe missing from the condensate pump? I only saw the one pipe that I assume was water going in to the pump but where is the pipe for the pump to send the water outside of the house?
Your channel is my new favorite thing to watch. I work for a big hvac plumbing and electrical outfit up north. I hate the concept of the salesman service techs as well but that’s how ours is set up. Our company has a series of checks and balances in place to make sure what happened here doesn’t happen to our customers. It’s not perfect but it’s a lot better than most. As a electrician it hurts my heart seeing a UL listed device modified to have power applied to it but I understand why you had to do it. 😁. As always nice work man.
I didn’t see ya check gas pressure. I’ve been getting a lot of valves that are way off from the factory. Now I check every one I install. But great job you make techs look good other then those asshole sales techs
@@AaronCo29 always check valve flow. Inline regulator drops line psi to device(this case probably (.5 -1psi). Supply line size determines BTUs. Gas valve has mfgr recommended input and output too high output can overtime burn up exchanger,flame proof. Industrial applications may have 25psi supply in a 12 in with regulators out the yang yang to different branches and line sizes,all devices must be set at gas valve not line regulator.
Those companies want new installs. Requires less experienced personnel and more profit. Got to watch out for those crooks that just want to make a lot of money at the expense of the customer. Recently I had to do some "light" remodeling (re texture walls/ceilings, paint, and flooring) on my father's house in order to get the house on the market (my father passed away and my brother and I do not live anywhere close to his house, so we had to sell) and when our realtor put the house on the market, a local guy in the neighborhood that likes to fix and flip houses (which most of them IMHO are crooks) tried to call my realtor and scare her into not selling the house. He must have saw the plastic we used to cover the windows when we were re texturing the walls and ceilings, and claimed we replaced the windows without permits.(HUGE leap in logic) I already ignored him when he tried to offer me an offer way below the value of the house, so I guess he was just salty about not getting his share. This guy is in 50s and acts like a stereotypical millennial. Just amazes me.
I watch all of your videos and never realized you are in Mauldin. I'm in furman. I love every video that has helped me when my warranty company sends out guaranteed heat and air and they do nothing.....
I can see a lot of these installers and/or service guys aren't big on using grommets or wire clamps on their junction boxes to protect wires from chafing ... or putting covers back on the boxes .... nice fix, even the con-pump excavation .... lol .... I always learn something (carpenter/builder) also nice to watch you wire, wire nut and use wire ties to keep things neat and safe ... also just subbed to Steve L ... he gave you a plug on the 1/2 inch drain line to the toilet/sink downstairs for condensate pans ... and yea, the lady wanting a system check and water heater was sweet ... I'm sure your customers appreciate the honest, high quality work and service ... renews my faith in the trades
Nice video ted. Pretty sure the only flame sensors I've replaced are due to the porcelain cracked and the inner part spinning. One or two on trane, one or two on rheem and I think one "Amanda" as you call them lol
I would have replaced flame sensor because the ceramic is cracked and moves out of position due to vibration. Secondly i would have done a inlet and outlet pressure check of the gas valve. That would have verified the regulator as well as the gas control valve. I would have clocked it with the btu rating plate and the gas meter. To make sure it within 10 percent of manufacturers btu output specs. If all ok then no gas valve needed. Especially when the ifc is lower level the then the gas valve and would have been submerged by water before the gas valve that is 6 inches higher. Just my opinion
A quick peek down the final regulator's vent fitting hole with a flashlight would have instantly revealed if the regulator had been submerge. Your observation about breaking out the manometer to check the gas pressures is on the money.
First time you started the indoor blower motor it made that worp, worp, worp kinda sound like is indicative of a weak capacitor. I didn't notice it later in the video as the burner drowns out most of the noise and it's hard to tell when she starts on the delay.
Great investigating work and diagnosis, I limited my watching HVAC videos to yours only, you are the best. You are an honest man and God will Bless you for that, you saved the customer a lot of money. I'm a victim of those scammers, and not anymore. Thanks for all of your videos.
I feel ya on the "too old part" started in the trade in 1982. You need knee pads brother. I commend you on being honest and sticking with the job. As a Northern Technician I hate crawl spaces with a vengeance and attics just about as much. I also cannot stand when they don't put in an access plug with the install, so you don't have to splice the condensate pump in. Constant learning is the key to real success. Thanks for the video keep up the good work. Maybe someday I will put out one of some of my experience's.
I've also been watching 'Cold War Motors'; he restores old rusty cars, beats flat sheet metal into whatever shapes he needs... My thought at 29:19 was, you could just bash a bulge in the cover to clear the gas valve.
Just found this channel and subscribed after the first few minutes. Southern Gentleman. 17:30 something: that's a merchant coupling. They're all over NYCs original gas piping in buildings. They're steel and one can still purchase them.
Seems similar to a place where I live. They do HVAC and sell a lot of contracts for the do it all bi-yearly things then later on even if you have one the sales guys end up coming by to sell you a new system. Had a guy at the apartments where I live replacing a bunch of outdoor units telling me about one of their sales guys telling an older lady she needed the unit replaced and trying to talk her into a big sale. She gave him a call and while he was working the sales guy came back and was inside when he fixed the AC unit. He handed the woman a bill for 75 bucks for a couple replaced parts and a little gas to top off the system along with his labor. Was a big difference from the full replacement she was being quoted for nearly 10K. Funny thing was that the old units here were being insurance replaced due to hail and were R22. They still worked but the fins were bent up pretty bad. He was planning to toss them in his yard and keep them available for low cost repairs for elderly people and such. I told him mine would be easy since I had already sat down and combed most of the fins out. It had hailed in March or April and by mid may June I saw they were all dinged up and did a quick fix so my electric bill wasn't sky high. I know you are Anti-DIY and all and for most stuff I stay hands off because I don't own it but I figured it would be years before someone would take a look at it and it was still a few months before it was replaced. I also know when I am getting in over my head and don't understand what is going on. Way too many don't understand that and get into worse trouble.
I would love to find out my house had an abandoned oil fired furnace - I would pay good money to have that thing running. People tell me that I am better off without oil fired heating, but they aren't paying SoCal propane prices.
Good job. Quote a gas valve and flame sensor. Hate crawl spaces, I carry a tvex disposable suit for these. And your damned if you bring too much or to little way back in there. Love your videos. Thank you.
I don't know nuttin bout HVAC but I love watching professionals to their work. I respect you guy's and have great empathy for your having to go up into hot attics in summertime, and up under houses into crawl spaces to do so much of your work. I couldn't help but think how my neck, shoulders, hips, back and pretty much my whole body would be stiff and aching about half way through that project, that I'd be done for the day after finishing such a job. Of course I am 75 lol. It is hard to know who to trust these days but you could work on my HVAC any day. But then, even though I grew up in SC I have been living in NC for over thirty years now. God Bless.
*The reason you should never use a thread protector as a coupler is, although outside it looks the same as a coupler, the thread on the protector is even from one side to the other unike the coupler and a pipe's thread, so you do not get that tapered tight fit which could cause a gas leak because that only the end of the thread on a pipe is doing the sealing, versus the entire thread on the coupler.*
You have made a golden customer I'd say. The other company likely shined a flashlight at the unit from a far distance and decided his paycheck needed X dollars on this quote. I have to agree, there never was any water or muddy water in the furnace area ever. Furnaces are so basic in sheet metal so unless water got into the wiring and other sensitive parts, it'll not be affected. Good call on the flame on sensor !
Telling you that you need a new furnace is pretty much standard operating procedure for any service call from HVAC companies. If he just replaces a bunch of parts or he cleans what needs to be clean for good operation then he can only rip you off for hundreds of dollars... If he tells you that you need a new furnace they can rip you off for THOUSANDS! Always ask ,when they tell you need a new furnace , if they will be making a commission off the sale. If they won't answer or if they say yes ...Get him off your property and call another company They are con men.
Enjoy watching your videos. I've been in this industry for forty years. You do good work, but and I mean no disrespect. When I see you jumping out a circuit board with out removing the W wire it makes me crazy. The thermostat heat anticipator can be damaged by shorting R to W with out isolating the stat wire. I'm in Ontario, Canada and seeing some of the work that you get to see makes me realize that there are butchers everywhere. Keep up the good work.
Do you conduct combustion analysis on systems that show signs of rust in and around the burner assembly going in to the heat exchanger? Just wondering if you checked for CO/punctured heat exchanger? It seemed the flame started jumping some after the blower came on.
That's why I got out of residential HVAC into commercial work. Most of the companies are doing everything they can to replace entire systems rather than fix them.
Really surprised at the number of "you ripped them off, the gas valve was fine" comments. Maybe they watched a different video, but between 9:30 and about 10:15, you mentioned figuring out why it doesn't light every time, and then - as if it heard you - it DOESN'T light, until you tap on the valve. Seems like a bad gas valve to me.
New sub here I’m retired But I still enjoy seeing the job done right... when this Man mentioned the Lord I knew the owner was in good hands he knows you have to be honest or the Lord is going to punish you for being a crook...he took the time to diagnose and I’m sure he calculated the cost of repair before hand and the owner was more than happy to pay his price...the unit looks like it still has a lot of life left in it and I totally agree if you have to tap on a gas valve to get it to work it needs to be replaced I’m sure he was fair in the pricing and he got a customer for life...God bless you young man in Jesus name 👍❤️ Great job!
Probably becouse the other guy came saw that the crawlspace entrance was flooded or heard it and said the machine flooded too instead of actually checking it as you see it was just the gas valve and a sensor other guy was trying to sell them a whole new unit , repairs dont make them money , sells of new units do
This is my kind of company I have been doing HVACr most all my life and he does things right big company's have lost track of what cust needs are I would work for him anyday
I was completely suprised and near shocked you did not either replace that union or put a new riser in that set up? I would not want that associated with my work but oh well, that is just me though, like you said, that union is not meant to be used for any other reason than to protect the threads on a shipped pipe!! Period!
Even though those are not intended to be couplings (not unions) it doesn't mean they are really unsafe. It is common for people to use them as couplings since they come free. If they were truly unsafe the manufacturer would stop fully threading them which would not allow them to be used this way. He is right though, a coupling manufactured to be used as such is better! But if they were really always terribly unsafe there would be thousands of places blowing up.
That lady on the phone was so sweet, got to love old school.
I came here to say this. ^^^
@@willpoteat8503 also to appreciate fact that she appreciate good workers and she know where to look for them..
That and he's super cordial too whereas Steve lav is a bit of a dick
I watch 4 different HVAC you tubers. Everybody has a unique personality. I never considered Steve L a dick. He is rough at the edges, but likely how he was raised. Ted C Was likely raised by a God fearing family
That woman sounded like she was thirty. I'll bet she is a hoot.
I like watching Steve Lav and you, but it's almost like culture shock switching between the two of you excellent tradesman. Steve's the quintessential fast talking, no holds barred, plumber with the Northeastern drawl; Ted's the slow talking, cautious, soft spoken Southeastern country gentlemen HVAC technician. Both are a joy to watch and are not only entertaining, but very educational in their presentations. Thanks to the both of you for taking the time to make these videos.
Steve is lucky in that he usually gets to work in a basement or sometimes an attic. Personally, I like Steve's videos more since he repairs boilers and does a great job of demonstrating how to install sheet metal. Personally, I have never had to work in a crawlspace and running the main drain outside is against code where I live.
@@picklerix6162
I'm curious when you say main drain are you talking about the condensate? Why would that be against code to dump on the lawn outside of your house? It's just fresh water.
That's a darned good summary!
I have seen Steve do some really questionable things so he is far from perfect as well.
kens97sto171 it’s political Ying yang I don’t see a problem with that either
And that is the difference between a troubleshooter and a parts changer.The parts changer is a salesman and the troubleshooter is a true technician/ artist. Salud.
Always blows my mind that people have their hvac in the crawlspace.
Agreed ! Mine is in the basement. Clean, dry, and after 13 + years it looks like it was installed yesterday. I do yearly maintenance on it and I have not had a problem with it yet. Leaving it exposed to heat, cold, and humidity must surely shorten its lifespan.
You mean it blows your mind that houses are built differently?
PFFFFFFFFFTTTTTTTTTBWUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Their only other option would be to install in the living space, that cuts down on valuable sqft! A crawlspace install can be OK, if the space is well taken care of. I've been in a number of nice crawlspaces
ATTIC???
The only furnace I've ever seen in a crawl up here was one I'd clean every fall for a elderly friend. An old green cast iron anchor from 1951. Sadly their main HVAC guy retired, and everyone else gave them quotes instead of touching it. I never accepted cash from them, so cleaning it was literally a piece of cake, or cookies, and a dinner plate.
What a pleasure to watch a true professional diagnose and repair a unit!!!
Enjoy watching a true professional.
Worked for a corporate restaurant as the night cleaner under contract (one of many contracts I had) for eleven years. Within those years have thwarted many attempts to scam the franchise owner by various companies. The two that sticks out is the company that installed all of the gas appliances, primarily the eight element gas stove top, as well as the gas convection oven.
The gas stove top has a small copper tube (pilot lights, eight in total) which are always burning a small flame, all the time. Eventually the tubes will build up a crust inside and not be able to hold a flame. Owner called the original installers to check it out, which they did. The company stated to the owner that the pilot lights were "burned out". The company suggested that all eight had to be replaced instead of one at a time, at $15 a piece. Owner agreed to having the job done the next day. With a cleaning audit needing to be done due to the regional manager coming by for an inspection, as I was discussing the cleaning details, the owner mentioned that I would need to stay longer to let the gas company in to fix the pilot light situation. I explained that the service he agreed to was not a necessary expense to fix, and that I can do all eight while I clean the restaurant that night. Owner told me exactly what the gas company said and I explained that the gas company was wrong and that I would be right in to prove it. I showed up, and with the owner beside me at the stovetop, took off one of the pilot light gas feeder tubes out of one of the elements, and showed him that the full lengths of each tube is hollow. Each tube has a mushroom shaped top with six tiny holes just under the mushroom cap, to allow the gas to flow through, which had a crusty buildup, therefore no gas flowing through. I took the top off of the hollow tube and showed him the crusty build up, in the tube itself, which had indeed occured over time. I also showed him that there was nothing in the entire tube set up that could possibly "burn out". We agreed that if I could fix the problem that night, I would still stay until the repairman shows up and refuse the service call, which I did. All I needed to do was heat up each tube, one at a time and simply burn off/out the crust. I very much enjoyed letting the gas repairman know that the problem was fixed while I locked up the restaurant, and went home. Owner was happy I saved him $120 for new tubes and an additional $50 for the service call as well as a lobour charge of $125 for a total of $295 saved, but, I did not even get a free dinner out of it. Go figure.
The second time around with this company was due to the convection oven door not closing properly. The moron the company sent decided to grind the top of door so that it would close properly. Guess what? Did not work, entirely.This jack off destroyed a perfect fully good oven door which could now not maintain heat due to not sealing/tightly and closing at the top. Noticed the damage to the door that night, and called the owner. Owner explained why it was done, and I explained that this did not fix the problem, but made it worse, and that the solution was very simple to fix had I been made aware of it. Met with the owner the next morning and had the oven doors and plates removed for him to see. I showed him that the doors open and close by a one gear chain system, much like a bike in the older days before gear shifts. A 1/4" metal peg which is inserted at the bottom of the left door snapped, which threw the doors off balance. You see, the left door has a solid bar which slipped into a coupling brace. Each had a hole drilled into them at the manufacturing stage. The doors were off lined which caused the jamming effect. Boss was very pissed, however I told him it was an easy fix, if he would allow me to do so. He agreed, and when a corporate hardware store, just across the parking lot opened its doors I purchased a 4' long 1/4" stainless steel rod, cut and inserted the needed sized peg, and it rebalanced the doors and closed properly. Once again, no free dinner! Kind of got used to it after awhile.
Respect!
All professions are lacking good honest Old-school Tradies like yourself... Kudos to your honest workmanship..
I have a furnace like that one that would run for a couple seconds then shut off. Had several people come look at it and they never got it working right. Replaced the control board, the valve, and the jets. The last guy said we needed to replace the entire unit. I looked online and found that the fan shaped gas guides were packed full of dust. It was bad enough that the gas wasn't able to move the flame from one jet to the next and the flame sensor would shut it down. Blowing the fan shaped guides with a can of air cleared the dust out and we haven't had a problem since (early factory ones the prone to rusting too.) Blowing those out has become a normal part of changing the filters now.
Because of all the work that has been done, I now have a spare flame sensor, working control board, and a full set of gas guides... As well as more knowledge of how to fix a Trane than someone like me should know. I just know that anything to do with the gas line is more than I should mess with and will leave that to people that know it better than I do.
I love your videos so much. I’m an estimator and I’ve learned so much from you. I will NEVER tell someone to replace if it’s not necessary and it hurts my heart to see how often this is done. I’m so blessed to work for an honest company but they seem so few and far between these days. It doesn’t make me feel very good about humanity 👎 especially when it’s an elderly woman!!!!!
Sometimes things need to be replaced. Like an old car it still work but could die at any time. People need to realize all these units have s life expectancy plus or minus years due to the environment. Unfortunately the real old school heat guys always say no it fine , ain’t broke don’t fix it and that’s not always true. Sometimes we need to use our heads and do some preventative maintenance. Especially when those same old school guys don’t carry inspection cameras so they don’t see all the cracks in the heat exchanger.
I realize (and respect) your stance on DIY maintenance on heating equipment - however, the last three "professionals" (all of them licensed and trained HVAC techs) I've had service my furnace have screwed up, each in their own, unique way. The original installer butchered the wiring, terminating the armored BX cable in a manner that could have easily resulted in a short circuit, never tested the furnace for smoke, improperly adjusted the barometric damper, and improperly configured the ECM blower control board for an AC system I don't have (which caused error lights and random blower operation - it was calling for dehumidification). I repaired the wiring, read the manual for the control board, and fixed the error indicators. I called a second tech in to fine-tune the furnace for sooting issues, and he simply cleaned the unit, opened the air band a bit, and charged me $200 for the service call - which would be fine if that solved the sooting issue (it didn't). I called a THIRD "professional" and he found the adjustment issue with the barometric air dam, and found the nozzle was physically damaged (likely during install) which may have caused the sooting issue and changed it out with a new one - but he installed a 60 degree nozzle on a furnace that requires an 80 degree nozzle, which could damage the combustion chamber in the long run. So, I ask... what is a homeowner to do, if all we're "supposed" to do is depend on "professionals?" As far as I'm concerned, I don't mind reading service manuals and spending hundreds on testing equipment if it means I 1) Get the job done RIGHT, and 2) Remain self-sufficient. As a kid, my dad never hired a single professional for anything, including furnace repair and maintenance - he was a machinist and auto mechanic by trade, and shared almost all of his knowledge with me. Personally, I've installed one gas-fired direct-vent furnace in my old house which is still running smoothly five years later, and I watched a "professional" sell my neighbor a new $2,000 furnace when all he needed was a $13 thermocouple (but I'm not a professional, so he wouldn't listen to what I was telling him). I'm fine paying someone good money if it means the job is done right and proper, but thus far, I seem to have a higher standard of what's right and proper than they do.
Amen. Had a license refrigerator repairman charge $300 parts and labor. Still didnt work. Read up on refrigerators and diagnostic. Just a clogged drip tube in freezer. Water backed up and froze so thick door wouldn't shut. Then that thawed, water all over the floor. Obvious as hell.
Who still has a thermocouple? He needs a new unit if he still rockn a thermocouple lol
I had the same issue with the water tube blocked up fixed it myself. I had a French door fridge; freezer that would freeze the bottom veggies the renter could don’t live with. I called an outfit a nerdy dude shows up with all the high-tech tools could not figure it out called his buddy no luck he said he was unfixable.
So, we spent $1,400.00 bought a new unit gave the old one to my brother. Brother called few days later fixed it for $20.00 the vent blowing air needed a diverter on it. I called the tech got my tech charge back but my boss lost $1,400.00 buying a unit not needed.
Ok
Thank you for your integrity when providing these life saving services. Our trade workers don't get enough respect and recognition in my opinion.
its nice when you have guys that actually care about what they do and doing whats best for their customer. To be honest if its something i cant fix i typically call my grandmother and shes always got a number of a guy that someone knows personally that can do what ever i need. To me these are the best type of businessmen. You sir are a great man and thank you for everything you do for people.
Uncle ted. Much respect. You could have sold a new furnace to them and everything. Youre honest, down to earth, and you do great work.
Here is a perfect example why I decided to do refrigeration instead of HVAC. I service commercial accounts so very rarely have to go into craw spaces. God bless you guys who do it. Refrigeration racks are in some type of mechanical room and my HVAC is mostly on the roof, or inside of the building. Good video by the way.
I think I’d head home and soak in a nice warm tub after this job. I’m a little older than you, my joints were aching after watching you do this. Hats off to you.
I wonder if the "tech" even got to the furnace, or just saw the waterline at the entrance and said yup flooded.
Yep I seen that kind of thing quite a few times in my 42 years in the trade
I can almost guarantee that's what happened. You get these one-stop-shop companies that hire under-experienced employees and send them out in a clean shirt and slacks and expect them to want to go crawling under a house to do a proper inspection of the system. Just watching the video you could pretty much tell the unit had not been submerged anytime in the last several days with the dry ground under it and lack of any water lines or marks on the face of the unit, and anyone who got in there far enough to see that would never have said it was submerged recently. This is why it is important to get a second opinion when it comes to large decisions like replacing your furnace!
Problem is customers want you to crawl on mud for a $75 service call. Then the bitch about the rate. If I went there, I'd tell her "she's Al leaker momma" (Credit to Steve Lav). Ask them if they want to pay $200 for me to crawl on mud. Good enough for this neighborhood.
@@joeperezic6625 problem is customers earn $10 an hour and expect $75 to be something worth having, sure you can ask $200 for gettig out of bed, good luck
@@jusb1066 There are people bagging groceries that make more that $10 an hour. I'm honestly not sure how someone could live on their own on $10 an hour in most places. Just rent.... Like $600. That's more than half a months pay after taxes.
I've made it, it sucks. I make a lot more now, it's better.
Good to see there are still honest tradesmen in the plumbing and HVAC area. You and Steve should do a collaboration!
I’ve been watching your channel for quite a few years. If no one has said this lately to you. Thank you for being such a honest professional and charging only for what’s needed! 👍
I'm glad someone said this! It seems like its few and far between these days to find anyone to give you a good honest assessment of a system and not try to oversell you in the process.
Just wanted to thank you for making these videos. Im getting into the trade soon. Start school the end of this month and I look forward to striving for honest good work and be the professional the customers deserve. I have always taken pride in what I do no matter what it is to do the job in an honest and correct manner. Never been the one to just slap things together. Thank you for taking the time to make this content. I have learned a lot from your videos! Keep it up! Your sure helpin this new guy to the trade understand that craftsmanship and professionalism is important in this trade.
Thanks for letting us watch your whole process of changing the gas valve. For the longest time I would tighten gas pipe so tight being afraid it would leak. You and everyone else I've worked with has shown me it really doesn't have to be cranked down that hard.
I got laid off of my company at the end of April due to Covid causing business to be slow. You made me think of them when you talked about those commissioned HVAC/Plumbing companies which is what mine was. I was the only one let go and I know that it's because I'm too honest to be commission, I was the only tech who wasn't selling 2 furnaces a week. The only furnaces I ever sold were because they had cracked heat exchangers, I don't like making people get things they don't need you know? Kinda wish I could work for you since you value honesty in your work.
Half ..... don’t change the way you are. Getting laid off that shitty company was the best thing for you longterm. Having a honest reputation will take you so much further in life compared to a quick sell. Anyone can be a used car salesman. And that’s what most HVAC techs act like these days. Conmen selling used cars at BillyBobs Auto.
Did I miss the part where he bubble tested the gas lines
I live in Minnesota and I have never been more grateful for a basement where you can just walk up to these.
That's the only thing to be grateful for in that miserable state. I feel for you.
same here in Boston.Our basements here are average 8feet tall.
I like the fact you use the tap test as a diagnostic tool. I`ve used it for 40 years. it catch`s a lot of intermittent problems with relays, circuit boards, hi limits etc.
30 years doing HVAC and you are the best tech I have ever seen!
Really can't stand technicians that lie to you about what's wrong with your equipment. Bunch of rip off artists, especially when they're dealing with the elderly or people that don't know anything about mechanical or electrical. They're just easy targets.
I really appreciate when you see a technician like him who does the right thing, only changes things if they need to be changed.
Also really appreciated the conversation he had with the lady. There are a lot of people that could take lessons on how you should speak to another human being.
I've recently built a small home for my family. I watched this channel and others for a few weeks to learn how to install a Goodman packaged unit. After a few weeks of learning, Tommy, from Chireno Air Conditioning, did a great job installing our Trane system! My family thanks you for saving them from me.
that's funny actually
You don’t realize how much patience this takes 👍🏼
The dessert has more water than that place Thanks for guys like this. Good job mate
I love how your two first diagnostic weapons of choice are the multimeter and 11 in one screwdriver. Man if those things could talk the stories they would say. I use those two and a manometer and combustion analyzer when i get further into it but those are my two starters on any problem. Red seal Journeyman Plumber/Gasfitter from Canada. As a gasfitter I fix the heating side of many a furnace. One of my journeyman was hvac trained so i sub him out for my ac or tin stuff. Great video , Ted! Keep up the good work!
I used to know a commissioned HVAC tech and he sold more equipment than anybody else in the company. He would always tell customers that their compressor or furnace could fail any day because it was too old and no longer covered under warranty. He said that his sales pitch usually worked on old people and women because they were very frightened to lose their A/C (or heat). If the customer just wanted a repair rather than replacement, he would leave burned wires/connectors on the replaced contactors and capacitors so that his prophecy of HVAC failure would come sooner rather than later. In other words, he never stripped the burned wires back to good copper and he never replaced the bad push-on connectors. Nowadays, commissioned techs are even more aggressive in my opinion because they are constantly trying to rip off my neighbors.
I just love this guy's videos. He's obviously an HVAC contractor first, and a video producer second, but he's such a great teacher, and entertaining too. Nice work.
Thanks for making such a great video! Because of experts like you posting videos like this, I have been able to continually learn more quality information about residential HVAC systems and become a better home inspector because of it! I just became a subscriber and look forward to checking out more of your videos!
The biggest complaint i have is that most repair "technicians" is that they are not so much diagnostic technicians but part changers... as in keep changing parts until the problem goes away... at least when they aren't trying to convince you to let them change the furnace. A friend of mine had a problem with his furnace and four different technicians looked at it and told him different things. One told him it was the motherboard, and possibly the thermostat, one told him the motherboard. one told him the igniter and one "diagnosed" the draft inducer as the problem. Two of them recommended replacing the furnace.
When he told me this I explained that "possibly the thermostat" isn't possible. It's just a switch and either it calls for heat or it doesn''t so possibly just isn't possible. But he gave me the furnace information and I downloaded the manual for it and discovered that the motherboard does a self test when it powers up and if there is a problem will tell you with a continuous red diaode. Third, when the furnace won't start, the motherboard will flash an error code the meaning of which is printed in the manual but also inside the furnace cover panel. When I went over to look, the code I got (7 flashes if i remember) indicated a gas supply issue and since the gas water heater beside the furnace worked fine the problem was likely with the gas control valve. I arranged for a fifth technician to check the gas supply issue and the valve tturned out to be the problem. It was replace and fired up right away after.
So the guy paid 4 licensed technbicians to give him a diagnosis which wasn't even close but which they could have figured out if they had bothered to read the fault codes.
These guys don't seem to really care about diagnosing the actual problem or maybe they do and see it as an opportunity to cashe in on a trusting homeowner. If they change the motherboard and it doesn't work, they can charge for that work and charge again to change another part and keep charging until the problem goes away.... All the changed parts will be bad (of course) and not changed uneccessarily, so the bill just keeps getting bigger. Although I am pretty sure the technician that "diagnosed" the draft inducer was just angling to sell a new furnace because he quoted $1600 to replace it but said it would be better to just get a new furnace. That really pissed me off because it ran when I tested it.
While that was my first experience with a newer furnace I have learned that when there is a problem first check the error codes so you have an idea of where the problem may be before the technician arrives.
Same experience with car dealers, you must educate yourself about the possible cause of problems before you get to the dealership
Really? You have diagnostic codes for valve? Most furnaces will show flame sense error code when gas valve doesn't work. Apparently you are a bigger expert. Go on fix it yoursef. We recognize you as a hero and as a self appointed consumer guardian.
nothing better than having the owner tell you 45 times "google said it was a flame sensor"
They blow through techs at a scary pace lot's of outfits don't pay a decent wage .So the techs see what is charged and what they are paid they quit after a couple years then try to start their own circus .
@@sku32956 😂😂😂😂🙏🏼
I’ve been doing HVAC for 43 years. I love to watch your videos. Honesty is almost a thing of the past. In my part of the country we also have those big companies who wanna replace everything. The only thing they are servicing is their own bank account
Steve Lav could have that old Oil Burner up and runnin in no time!
ha!! he is the oil burner King!!
Yeah ide rather have the oil burner in my house. Oil heats best!!!
I like to listen to your client interactions, would be nice to hear more of that too
So glad to see this back! I started watching yesterday (a bit longer video and a bit different title) then stopped for chow, then when I went back was not allowed to watch. Thank you for putting it back as I was seriously wondering about how it ends!
It just amazes me the damp, dirty places in which these furnaces are expected to function.
Says: I don't like it when people use thread protectors as couplings.......Then leaves it and doesn't change it out.
I hate being one of the nit pickers but...unless you edited it out you didn't do more than hand tighten the union.
That bothered me too. And no leak testing. I had to keep telling myself it was edited out.
I’ve watched a few of his videos. Certainly is a hack
I noticed that and I told myself that he left it loose so he could purge the line, when he turned on the gas, but with that design it would purge its self. I kept waiting to see him tighten the union.
I was also taught to never reuse black iron nipples as the deform when properly tightened. Also, he clearly stated that a thread protector was improperly used as a coupler, but didn’t correct it.
I did not see him connect the 3/8 clear output hose to the condensate pump, but I am sure it was done and tested.
Sure is nice to watch a professional at work! Impressive.
When he said "two days" I knew he was right, I was thinking it got flooded years ago. Didnt realize they were thinking a matter of days, no way that thing was under water
It kinda seemed like you left the union hand tight, good video as always.
I was thinking the same thing RB . Saw him burp some gas through it, then didn't see him wrench tighten it.
Didn't see you you check for gas leaks. In UK we have to test with a manometer back at the meter. I use soapy water on my new joints before checking from the meter. It's not unknown for old joints to leak when pipes are disturbed, otherwise you are trusting that previous work was done properly and often it's not.
What does that copper tap feed? In my area, we had to rework any copper gas ties for black iron pipe etc. Basically anytime the gas is turned off for 6 months or longer, the gas company requires a gas pressure test. The cities in my area also require copper gas piping to be removed and replaced with approved materials. I noticed the union tightness too. I can only hope and assume you tightened it before you left.
Awesome.
You may have done it off camera did you tighten the Union on the gas line?
We see the same rip off artists on the plumbing side. One hit wonders.
I love the service side of our trades. When people rip off good customers it gives us all a black eye. Plenty of legitimate business to be done with fair compensation for all. No reason to for dishonesty in this industry.
Thats what i was wondering
Southern as hell "Dangit" At 33:23. Love it. lol.
Lmao at that one
should be more people like you in this business! thank you for restoring my belief in some service people !!!
I'm just curious, wasn't there one water pipe missing from the condensate pump? I only saw the one pipe that I assume was water going in to the pump but where is the pipe for the pump to send the water outside of the house?
It does really help to turn on the gas valve!
They must have had an A&E/Sears technician out the first time.
I'm an ASE auto Tec with HVAC cert and a diagnostic tech...i love this stuff..lol
Learning a lot.
A lot of similarities.
Good detective work.
I didn't watch the whole video but I noticed you didn't wrenches up the union after putting it together. just an fyi maybe you did later in the video
Imagine having an archeological site underneath your home. I guess it is an old house, after all. This kind of construction just seems so primitive!
Wait, Oger in the comments!? How's it goin!?
I might be primitive but I definitely stands the test of time pretty well. I would take an old house any day over new construction!
Tow it away then .....😊
Southern customer courtesy. So nice to hear. 👍
Your channel is my new favorite thing to watch. I work for a big hvac plumbing and electrical outfit up north. I hate the concept of the salesman service techs as well but that’s how ours is set up. Our company has a series of checks and balances in place to make sure what happened here doesn’t happen to our customers. It’s not perfect but it’s a lot better than most. As a electrician it hurts my heart seeing a UL listed device modified to have power applied to it but I understand why you had to do it. 😁. As always nice work man.
I didn’t see ya check gas pressure. I’ve been getting a lot of valves that are way off from the factory. Now I check every one I install. But great job you make techs look good other then those asshole sales techs
Carrier,huh. I've had modulating set at 4.5wc in high stage and 1.4 in low from the factory.
there is a regulator in line before the valve.
You should be checking them every time you install a furnace.
Came here to post that but.........
@@AaronCo29 always check valve flow. Inline regulator drops line psi to device(this case probably (.5 -1psi). Supply line size determines BTUs.
Gas valve has mfgr recommended input and output too high output can overtime burn up exchanger,flame proof.
Industrial applications may have 25psi supply in a 12 in with regulators out the yang yang to different branches and line sizes,all devices must be set at gas valve not line regulator.
thank you - it's so cool to see expert doing their job. take care.
Those companies want new installs. Requires less experienced personnel and more profit. Got to watch out for those crooks that just want to make a lot of money at the expense of the customer. Recently I had to do some "light" remodeling (re texture walls/ceilings, paint, and flooring) on my father's house in order to get the house on the market (my father passed away and my brother and I do not live anywhere close to his house, so we had to sell) and when our realtor put the house on the market, a local guy in the neighborhood that likes to fix and flip houses (which most of them IMHO are crooks) tried to call my realtor and scare her into not selling the house. He must have saw the plastic we used to cover the windows when we were re texturing the walls and ceilings, and claimed we replaced the windows without permits.(HUGE leap in logic) I already ignored him when he tried to offer me an offer way below the value of the house, so I guess he was just salty about not getting his share. This guy is in 50s and acts like a stereotypical millennial. Just amazes me.
I watch all of your videos and never realized you are in Mauldin. I'm in furman. I love every video that has helped me when my warranty company sends out guaranteed heat and air and they do nothing.....
I can see a lot of these installers and/or service guys aren't big on using grommets or wire clamps on their junction boxes to protect wires from chafing ... or putting covers back on the boxes .... nice fix, even the con-pump excavation .... lol .... I always learn something (carpenter/builder) also nice to watch you wire, wire nut and use wire ties to keep things neat and safe ... also just subbed to Steve L ... he gave you a plug on the 1/2 inch drain line to the toilet/sink downstairs for condensate pans ... and yea, the lady wanting a system check and water heater was sweet ... I'm sure your customers appreciate the honest, high quality work and service ... renews my faith in the trades
Nice video ted. Pretty sure the only flame sensors I've replaced are due to the porcelain cracked and the inner part spinning. One or two on trane, one or two on rheem and I think one "Amanda" as you call them lol
Thanks you !! I really appreciate you watching !!
Nice work looks like they had a perfectly good unit with simple issues
I wonder what the bill would be for total replacement by the other guys
I would have replaced flame sensor because the ceramic is cracked and moves out of position due to vibration.
Secondly i would have done a inlet and outlet pressure check of the gas valve. That would have verified the regulator as well as the gas control valve. I would have clocked it with the btu rating plate and the gas meter. To make sure it within 10 percent of manufacturers btu output specs. If all ok then no gas valve needed. Especially when the ifc is lower level the then the gas valve and would have been submerged by water before the gas valve that is 6 inches higher. Just my opinion
A quick peek down the final regulator's vent fitting hole with a flashlight would have instantly revealed if the regulator had been submerge. Your observation about breaking out the manometer to check the gas pressures is on the money.
Back when I did HVAC work, those Lennox furnaces were everywhere in my town.
First time you started the indoor blower motor it made that worp, worp, worp kinda sound like is indicative of a weak capacitor. I didn't notice it later in the video as the burner drowns out most of the noise and it's hard to tell when she starts on the delay.
Great investigating work and diagnosis, I limited my watching HVAC videos to yours only, you are the best. You are an honest man and God will Bless you for that, you saved the customer a lot of money. I'm a victim of those scammers, and not anymore. Thanks for all of your videos.
I feel ya on the "too old part" started in the trade in 1982. You need knee pads brother. I commend you on being honest and sticking with the job. As a Northern Technician I hate crawl spaces with a vengeance and attics just about as much. I also cannot stand when they don't put in an access plug with the install, so you don't have to splice the condensate pump in. Constant learning is the key to real success. Thanks for the video keep up the good work. Maybe someday I will put out one of some of my experience's.
I've also been watching 'Cold War Motors'; he restores old rusty cars, beats flat sheet metal into whatever shapes he needs... My thought at 29:19 was, you could just bash a bulge in the cover to clear the gas valve.
Every install you show is horrendous! glad you out there trying to make things right.
Great videos! Did you tighten that regulator coupling back up with a wrench?
was wondering the same thing
Just found this channel and subscribed after the first few minutes. Southern Gentleman.
17:30 something: that's a merchant coupling. They're all over NYCs original gas piping in buildings. They're steel and one can still purchase them.
Seems similar to a place where I live. They do HVAC and sell a lot of contracts for the do it all bi-yearly things then later on even if you have one the sales guys end up coming by to sell you a new system. Had a guy at the apartments where I live replacing a bunch of outdoor units telling me about one of their sales guys telling an older lady she needed the unit replaced and trying to talk her into a big sale. She gave him a call and while he was working the sales guy came back and was inside when he fixed the AC unit. He handed the woman a bill for 75 bucks for a couple replaced parts and a little gas to top off the system along with his labor. Was a big difference from the full replacement she was being quoted for nearly 10K.
Funny thing was that the old units here were being insurance replaced due to hail and were R22. They still worked but the fins were bent up pretty bad. He was planning to toss them in his yard and keep them available for low cost repairs for elderly people and such. I told him mine would be easy since I had already sat down and combed most of the fins out. It had hailed in March or April and by mid may June I saw they were all dinged up and did a quick fix so my electric bill wasn't sky high. I know you are Anti-DIY and all and for most stuff I stay hands off because I don't own it but I figured it would be years before someone would take a look at it and it was still a few months before it was replaced. I also know when I am getting in over my head and don't understand what is going on. Way too many don't understand that and get into worse trouble.
I would love to find out my house had an abandoned oil fired furnace - I would pay good money to have that thing running. People tell me that I am better off without oil fired heating, but they aren't paying SoCal propane prices.
Good job. Quote a gas valve and flame sensor. Hate crawl spaces, I carry a tvex disposable suit for these. And your damned if you bring too much or to little way back in there. Love your videos. Thank you.
I luv the way u troubleshoot.
I don't know nuttin bout HVAC but I love watching professionals to their work. I respect you guy's and have great empathy for your having to go up into hot attics in summertime, and up under houses into crawl spaces to do so much of your work. I couldn't help but think how my neck, shoulders, hips, back and pretty much my whole body would be stiff and aching about half way through that project, that I'd be done for the day after finishing such a job. Of course I am 75 lol. It is hard to know who to trust these days but you could work on my HVAC any day. But then, even though I grew up in SC I have been living in NC for over thirty years now. God Bless.
Ted you're a good honest man that is so hard to find these days
*The reason you should never use a thread protector as a coupler is, although outside it looks the same as a coupler, the thread on the protector is even from one side to the other unike the coupler and a pipe's thread, so you do not get that tapered tight fit which could cause a gas leak because that only the end of the thread on a pipe is doing the sealing, versus the entire thread on the coupler.*
Great diagnosis...you're the man!
You have made a golden customer I'd say. The other company likely shined a flashlight at the unit from a far distance and decided his paycheck needed X dollars on this quote.
I have to agree, there never was any water or muddy water in the furnace area ever. Furnaces are so basic in sheet metal so unless water got into the wiring and other sensitive parts, it'll not be affected. Good call on the flame on sensor !
Telling you that you need a new furnace is pretty much standard operating procedure for any service call from HVAC companies. If he just replaces a bunch of parts or he cleans what needs to be clean for good operation then he can only rip you off for hundreds of dollars...
If he tells you that you need a new furnace they can rip you off for THOUSANDS!
Always ask ,when they tell you need a new furnace , if they will be making a commission off the sale. If they won't answer or if they say yes ...Get him off your property and call another company They are con men.
Enjoy watching your videos. I've been in this industry for forty years. You do good work, but and I mean no disrespect. When I see you jumping out a circuit board with out removing the W wire it makes me crazy. The thermostat heat anticipator can be damaged by shorting R to W with out isolating the stat wire. I'm in Ontario, Canada and seeing some of the work that you get to see makes me realize that there are butchers everywhere. Keep up the good work.
Shout out to Bonnie, hope she’s well.. and the waters hot 👍🏻
As much as I hate Texas attics in the summer, I'm glad we don't have systems in crawl spaces around here!
Do you conduct combustion analysis on systems that show signs of rust in and around the burner assembly going in to the heat exchanger? Just wondering if you checked for CO/punctured heat exchanger? It seemed the flame started jumping some after the blower came on.
Exactly. Probably had cracks all over the heat exchanger. Of course he checked it
Good job, the customer need install drainage tile, keep water out for good, any way build that pump higher on a cement block in case another flood?
That's why I got out of residential HVAC into commercial work. Most of the companies are doing everything they can to replace entire systems rather than fix them.
Q: Where's the best place to see antique HVAC equipment? A: Any government office.
they get way more money that way
Just wondering how come you didn't replace that thread protector they are using as a coupling with an actual coupling?
Thanks for including the phone call under the house that was hilarious
Really surprised at the number of "you ripped them off, the gas valve was fine" comments. Maybe they watched a different video, but between 9:30 and about 10:15, you mentioned figuring out why it doesn't light every time, and then - as if it heard you - it DOESN'T light, until you tap on the valve. Seems like a bad gas valve to me.
right? he ripped them off by saving them $3000, seems legit.
New sub here I’m retired But I still enjoy seeing the job done right... when this Man mentioned the Lord I knew the owner was in good hands he knows you have to be honest or the Lord is going to punish you for being a crook...he took the time to diagnose and I’m sure he calculated the cost of repair before hand and the owner was more than happy to pay his price...the unit looks like it still has a lot of life left in it and I totally agree if you have to tap on a gas valve to get it to work it needs to be replaced I’m sure he was fair in the pricing and he got a customer for life...God bless you young man in Jesus name 👍❤️ Great job!
Probably becouse the other guy came saw that the crawlspace entrance was flooded or heard it and said the machine flooded too instead of actually checking it as you see it was just the gas valve and a sensor other guy was trying to sell them a whole new unit , repairs dont make them money , sells of new units do
This is my kind of company I have been doing HVACr most all my life and he does things right big company's have lost track of what cust needs are I would work for him anyday
More techs nowadays need to be like this. I don’t care what they say
I was completely suprised and near shocked you did not either replace that union or put a new riser in that set up? I would not want that associated with my work but oh well, that is just me though, like you said, that union is not meant to be used for any other reason than to protect the threads on a shipped pipe!! Period!
Even though those are not intended to be couplings (not unions) it doesn't mean they are really unsafe. It is common for people to use them as couplings since they come free. If they were truly unsafe the manufacturer would stop fully threading them which would not allow them to be used this way. He is right though, a coupling manufactured to be used as such is better! But if they were really always terribly unsafe there would be thousands of places blowing up.
This video is an hour long. It has to be good. Starting the journey now! I'll make it to the end by end of day Friday.
I would never put an air handler/furnace in a crawl space or attic, especially one with no vapor barrier.
19:48 see the dirt fall out of the fitting when he bangs it?
Some techs don’t know how to diagnose…..only replace.
I just love watching you work. Dang it cracked me up. Southern boy