Jacko, you’re wrong. This guys a Saint. I don’t care what you think about respect-you’re ideas are twisted. I would have called the police on the thief and pressed charges. Plus, you talk too much. Has anyone ever told you that?
@@jockoharpo2622 While I stand by, you make excellent points for baiting and exposing the previous tech. I am not in HVAC; however, I have worked in marketing and know that say and proving why your company is better than the competition without tearing down the completion is better in the long term for customer retention.
Hi Steve..I’m a retired fitter/plumber,We were a multi generational mechanical Corp,started by grandfather..In the business all those years in amazed me at the things some contractors did to elderly and gullible people.I seen guys basically rob customers,they should have carried a gun not a pipe wrench.I never ever robbed anyone,my dad and grandfather ALWAYS stressed a fair days work for a fair days pay.I could never take advantage of people and because of that we made a great living
I am currently in school and am interested in becoming an HVAC tech in the future. I believe the number 1 rule in the business of HVAC is to not cheat people money, as it will just most likely just come back on you in a really bad way.
I had a plumber look at my 20 yo gas hot water service, the water was coming out lukewarm and I suspected the brass mixing valve. I told the guy to replace it and it was fine but he told me the hot water service is on it’s last legs and needed to be replaced and I had only a year or so left in it. He was more interested in replacing the hot water service and his business model is convincing old people to replacing their gas appliances. He already condemmned my gas heater without looking at it.
@@aday1637 I don`t think that the owner said that besides if a repairman refused to fix my system simply because it was oversize , I`d run him off my property....lol
@@aday1637 you don’t cut out parts of a system and not replace them just because it’s oversized. If a unit is not working then you fix it. If it’s oversized then you have a discussion with the customer about upgrading. And still, the customer has to agree to replacing the unit before just doing so.
Thank goodness the gentleman called Steve for another opinion. My elderly parents are the same way - they just want to go along and don't like to make waves. Watching TV and going to bed early is more important - and much less stressful - than a face-to-face confrontation when someone is ripping them off. You get a gold star for this one Steve.
if you find an honest capable plumber, hold onto them until they retire, and then ask them who to trust afterward. Just like you would with a good doctor or trustworthy mechanic.
@@jockoharpo2622 tech is changing just like the electric vehicle will replace internal combustion what you do will be replaced or heavily altered in your lifetime. back to the future is finally your reality!
@@jockoharpo2622 All of that is true, but Steve just isn't the kind of guy with a heart of glass or a heart of stone. He's not hanging around in a dead-end town
@@jockoharpo2622 LOL I got it, I'm an 80's kid. I was riffing on the last verse: You got a heart of glass or a heart of stone? Just you wait ’til I get you home We’ve got no future, we’ve got no past Here today, built to last In every city, in every nation from Lake Geneva to the Finland station
Not only the older folks. I had one a few years ago, young single mom, a competitor told her the condenser fan motor was bad and the unit was in poor shape. Unit was in decent shape, after a new run capacitor, it worked fine. Had it up and running by the time her dad got there. Boy was he pissed 😡. Some people just don't have a conscious, I guess. Good post, Steve.
When I first started out 20 some years ago as an installer , I worked for a company that had several service guys we called "sales techs". We were taking out 8-9 year old furnaces because of "cracked heat exchangers". Never found a crack after pulling out the furnace. It was always old people. I had grandparents that age, so it pissed me off. I got out of that place pretty quickly.
I got an apology from a sizeable HVAC company when I caught one of their techs lying about a cracked heat exchanger, many years ago. I got a second opinion, and everything was fine. So I switched my maintenance service to those guys. I'm always suspicious of AC coolant leaks that they're somehow unable to find too, but those are harder to prove as scams to sell you an expensive new unit.
I worked for a company like that. Pushed me to sell everything under the sun. I switched to install and it got a bit better, but then I found we were pulling out similar units to you, 8-9 yrs old, and the same with the "sales techs". That company has salesmen with tool bags. I'm glad I left that company.
The service company let the refrigerant out of my Grandmother's unit, and then tried to sell her a new unit. She asked me to take a look at it. I cleaned the condenser coil (the root cause of issues), recharged it and trimmed the charge, re-insulated about 5 feet of the suction line. That was 35 years ago. She since has passed away, but the unit is still running and hasn't been charged since. A 1974 Sears Amana. You do good work, Steve.
@@mctransportation9831 I had a similar RUUD unit (3 ton) installed in my folks house back in 1993 or so. It's had a few parts replaced, but is still running! Meanwhile the builder grade stuff on our townhomes (mine and neighbors) would die after 10 years or less. Most had been replaced by 2013. The indoor coils would get bad leaks. Even when new, the expansion valves would leak within the first year or two (fortunately covered by builder warranty). They were R-22 systems too, so limited options other than replacing it. R-22 recharging was getting very expensive! The newer models (a step up from builder grade) seem to be pretty good, even if they stayed with the same manufacturer. They were from one of the major manufacturers, so not sure if they always had coil problems and now use aluminum coils or what.
@@rodhoutx i had a ruud built in 1994 in the house i just sold. I was there 14 summers and right before I Ieft, I had to replace an interior blower motor. That's it. The part was $300. What is a builder model? Im assuming that something cheap that builder use to cut corners.
@@mctransportation9831 It's just going to be cheapest models bought in bulk. It was really probably just those particular models in that time period. I actually remember now that I had that same looking model at a house I bought in 1997 (not a new home). The compressors would get louder over time, noise and rattles, but that used to be pretty typical. Though my dad's RUUD is still pretty much the same noise level even 20+ years later. But when I've seen the newer models and replacements 10 years later (same brand) they were so much quieter and still run quiet many years later, so I think they redesigned all their models. Even my dad's neighbor had one of them installed about 7-10 years ago, and it still looks and sounds like new (it faces my dad's unit), and is still the lower end model. It was just interesting walking through my neighborhood (built in same time period, same builder) and slowly see all the units get changed out so soon. They would have all been R-22 units, so the phase out probably played a major role in forcing replacement if they kept having leaks.
I own a home improvement business and I am a licensed home inspector in North Carolina and I see this kind of crap often I have my first customer from 19 years ago and all because I'm honest.
This is our country today...full of scammer and ripoff artists...I do bee removals in Baltimore and there are several scammer/ripoff artists here fleecing people who are scared by bees and charging them 3 or 4 times what I charge for an honest days work.
Oh but when large banks lend you cheap money with no down payment require to buy a house and a few years later the interest on the money goes up and you are force to foreclose, it’s your own fault and should done your own research, buddy.
@@patrickmccarthy5617 Buddy, I read everything before I sign ANYTHING...only a complete jackass signs their lives away without understanding WTF they are doing
Don't hold your breath...they are why idiots like him are licensed (if he is) and insured etc. No one follows up on the licensees unless there are complaints which usually tend to be too late to help out those already damaged, taken, scamed etc.
Agreed... They should be investigating whose deferral services which seems to be the ENABLERS. They claim to be a benefit... Are the getting kickbacks from the companys they referee?
theres big companies that operate like that i work in an area adjacent to his in ri for us we would contact dlt office of professional regulation file a complaint against his license with trade board in mass were steve is under 10 tons only need an epa cert for refrigerant no license to go after
Refrigerartion Management i work in rhode island and im and hvac guy so grammer aint the best. steve is in the southeast mass area adjacent to were i work. in rhode island even to do residential cooling is a two year apprenticeship to get a license. that license is governed by a state agency. so in RI you have a goverment body that will take and investigate claims to a point. i personally dont always agree with this level of regulation but in cases like this i see why it can be a good thing. this is because that license can be revoked. in mass were steve is there is no license to do refrigeration work on any system under 10 tons of cooling (120k btu). all that is required is a federal epa card we all have to get to handle refrigerant. this significantly lowers the bar as far as entry to the market, which is not necessarily a bad thing. however it does mean that any consequences come in civil court for a contractor in mass. versus were i am one state over there is a contractor board that you cam complain to that is comprised of people that know the trade
No one is perfect, I wish I had Steve in my area, I would call him in a heart beat. Thanks Steve for all the videos. As a homeowner I know a swear and carry on when I am fixing stuff, I have watched a few of Steve's videos and he is very tame as compared to me. All in all I think he is a good guy educating the public , Thank You Mr Lavimoniere . That being said I have turned over a new leaf, and plan on changing my ways about carrying on and swearing when I am trying to fix something , So thank you all for pointing that out. One more thing......Nice Dog
@@tommycabanaw4875 they have plier style crimpers in all sorts of configurations that would work better her than channellocks. Steve is still the man though.
yeah back in the day when i worked on cars not all but there were guys who would finish burning the clutch out on a manual trans on the lift putting it in 5 gear and dumping the clutch so the customer could not drive away to go elsewhere i always fixed the complaint first then up sold any work that i saw was needed but to smoke a clutch or disable the car thats criminal in my book theres enough legit work out there that you dont have to be lazy and not look for it
The only time you disable a unit is if a fuel furnace left to run can cause a fire / CO problem. Even then just pull a wire / leave a note as to why. And you tell the customer / have them sign off on it.
Good video, Steve -- looking out for the customers even if they aren't looking out for themselves. expose that slasher! ripping off older couples is not good!
@@patrickmccarthy5617 Not THIS customer, fine, minor point made. But I’ll bet 3 out of 10 follow thru with that Ahole to buy a whole new system. So your comment above is highly incomplete and you owe Ryan an apology.
Perhaps he didn't film it but since most of the wires were off at the compressor why not ohm out windings and then check so see if there was a short to ground before wireing it back up? Just curious about your process.
Wondered the same thing. Just a mental hiccup I think. He was upset about the guy potentially trying to scam people and wanted to quickly prove it by testing the compressor with power. Assuming windings were shorted, it wouldn't have been the end of the world when he fired it up, just some blown fuses. No real further damage would be done.
Take your concerns to the Town Council. If they are licensing him they may be held partially responsible for his dastardly deeds! In the old days he'd be tarred and feathered, much to good for him. Keep up the good work,Steve, help protect the elderly.
@@brianburns7211 ---- Never go by the Better Business Bureau's rating, never., the amount a business pays them each year sets their BBB ratings, not complaints or poor workmanship.
@@davidnull5590 In Mass the trades are pretty closely regulated. Maybe he can have his license revoked. The attorney general would be another good place to report the crook.
They don’t seem to care. They probably are too old to care about money that much comparing to other things such as health and family. End of the day Steve came across as the jerk to them because Steve was mad and was yelling at them while the con-man was all smiling and sweettalking.
Wow. Some people have lost all sense of integrity. I don’t know how some people can feel good about themselves scamming customers like that. Steve saved the day on this one!
Steve already had the visual proof, heavily corroded copper wire, melted insulation wire cut off= hot loose connection burnt off, years of experience not necessary on this one, yes the meter would have indicated that high resistance connection was there but only if it was still connected and reading at the contactor.
As a retired commercial/ industrial HVAC/ Controls guy , thanks for being honest. The HVAC trade has a lot of hackers but when they rip off old people it makes it criminal.
I am a retired Appliance/HVAC Repairman and I also have run many a call after people like him who are too lazy or under trained to repair things correctly It is a shame and gives all the honest hard working Techs a bad name Keep up the good work
Sadly, it’s not all that uncommon. And it’s not just older people. Anyone is susceptible to being taken for a ride if you’re not familiar with the problem at hand. Luckily you came along when you did. 👍👍
We have scammers by incompetence in my town , They bi-passed all safety controls in a Dairy Queen's furnace and air make-up unit , destroyed a $100,000 burner in a snow melter ,replaced a $15,000 DHW boiler with a plugged heat exchanger , That company has nearly 50 employees and that goes on daily .
Nice work Steve! They do the same thing in Michigan! My wife turned down her dads AC so far it froze the coil. They called local service tech he pulled the disconnect and told them he needed to replace the whole unit. All I had to do was let the unit thaw and tell my father in law to keep my wife away from the thermostat.
Ive frozen my coil before when adjusting the vents :) What I do is turn on the heat and it melts it pretty quick. This is why I do not trust anyone working on anything in my house including the cars. I do as much as I can. Typical from these stupid companies "You need a new furnace / Air Conditioning system". Had them tell me that once on my furnace and turned out to to be the exhaust fan. Furnace kept shutting down because of the bad fan. BTW - Greeting from North Central Indiana. :)
@@adamcraig1568 I think its more so that they had their vents closed and then it would freeze up the exchanger. There was not enough air flow thru the ducs to keep it from freezing up.
@@adamcraig1568 she no doubt had it as low as it would go! I just turned off the air and waited for it to thaw and set the thermostat to 70. Never had another issue. I am just a pipefitters and hvac tech from work helped troubleshoot the issue. I am pretty handy and can usually troubleshoot with help. But I know my limitations and very much appreciate videos and commentary from you pros! Make us ordinary Joe's look good some times. Save a buck and as in this video and my initial comment whoop a scammer once in a while.
I see several problems: closed dampers could lead to frozen evaporator coil, non-insulated ductwork wastes energy, the garage air should not be mixed with the house, 5 ton is for a 3000 sq ft house
Hey Steve, Bless your heart buddy, easy on the old man he doesn't know any better. We just need to bust some balls on them pricks scamming people, you know what i mean? WTF is wrong with these people, Huh. You Steve, your a true patriot!
Its commendable you were willing to expose this attempted theft These people are are so feeble they cant comprehend the fraud that was attempted on them. This guy needs to be prosecuted and barred from hvac service.
As a mechanic and business owner, this kind of thing makes me very angry. I always do my best to show issues I found and problems that I think are causing the complaint, to my customers. When I can't, I take pictures for them. NEVER would it occur to me, to scam them for anything, time, parts or upsell them something they just don't need. They are bastards that do that, I would chase them off the yard with my 2" wrench. Especially old people that deserve our respect and admiration shouldn't be scammed for their money like this. People that do that deserve a good lashing once a week, until they learn some respect and another round for their sins.
Glad to see you are an honest man. I hate those people who take advantage of the elderly. Thank God you are a straight shooter. You are an awesome technician love your videos and Miss Molly, she is a little sweetheart. Got to be a proud Master HVAC Technician Mama, next level, next level Mama. One of the worst jobs I was on one night was an old Onida Royal hot air system cant remember the burner make now, but it was an old low- pressure burner 1725 RPM right - hand - rotation . The burner air tube was burnt up at the end where the head was, I had another old low- pressure burner with the same dia. air tube . I had to go back to my shop to make this new air tube. I cut it to length using a hose clamp and hacksaw, used the original nozzle tube, cleaned the furnace heat exchanger, put it back together with a new nozzle, and adjusted air for efficiency. I think I was on the job for 5 hrs. but got em up and running. Middle of winter in Caratunk Maine.
Glad you take videos to show us exactly what the other hack does. A bad installation to begin with and then this hack comes along. Criminal to take advantage of anybody like that, let alone the elderly. That hack should be arrested and taken directly to jail. Thanks for being so honest and direct with your customer, Steve. Honest work with honest prices and honest suggestions. You have set the "bar". That other guy should be sued, license taken (if he even has one) and made to pay back each customer for the damage and theft he has done by a court order. So thankful you take videos!
I had a guy come out and check my refrigerant levels on my two a/c units. We have security cameras all over the place and apparently he didn't notice, but I saw that he took his equipment over and bent down close to the units, and played on his phone for a bit, and then did the same thing near the other one. Never once hooked up the a/c manifold unit. Called the company and told them what happened and they sent the same guy back out. He apologized and did the work that he was supposed to do.
Wow, just wow! I would have just demand a refund and went with another company. That company doesn't deserve your business after their service tech tried to scam you. Screw them!
While it doesn't sound like this was the case in your situation, keep in mind that many of us are using Bluetooth connected probes/tools when testing systems, I typically have anywhere from 5 to 11 going on a system, as well as reporting and invoicing apps. While we do appear to be fiddling with our phones a lot, we are not just playing with our phones. 😉
Unfortunately, this is all too common in the HVAC repair business. One HVAC guy told me that he made most of his new condensing unit sales to old retired people and women. He would try to scare them into buying new equipment by telling them that the compressor would fail very soon.
Personally every time If i ran into this with this particular person I would tell the customers to contact the attorney generals office and report him for damaging their equipment, sooner or later they’ll look into it and he’ll lose his licensing
He's doing this to old people because they are much less likely to complain. When you are older, you only have so much energy in a day and there is not enough to deal with extra BS.
I'm a electrician by trait and work on HVAC. I've came across the same crap people ripping off older people. I've testified in court against 4 or 5 electricians for ripping off people. You are a very nice person.
My elderly mom (we lost her this spring) took her 2 year old car to get an inspection. They told her she needed a new horn because it was not loud enough. I had come over that prior weekend and checked out all the lights, horn, brakes, codes, etc. so it was sure to pass. I couldn't take it in myself because I was out of town that week and she waited until the sicker was almost expired I really really get pissed of when elderly people get taken advantage of. This was a big Chevy dealer in my area. So the slashers are everywhere.
True-that. Even the BBB will give a report on a car dealership with a mention such as: "A lot of complaints...but not unusual for this this type of business."
I was waiting for the part where the compressor is ohmed out or even checked but maybe it was edited out? Also the ductwork has BIG LETTERS saying LOOK, meaning they’ve done that shit before, or maybe it came loose. I dont know.
I've been watching your videos for quite some time now, I don't recall seeing you this mad, my blood was boiling too. You are a hell of a good guy Steve, my utmost respect to you.
it's hard work to tell a customer they're doing something wrong without insulting them or making them feel stupid. i could never even imagine talking to them the way you do. they'd run me off and blacklist my company. it's remarkable how different basic social interactions are from here to there.
I was thinking the same thing! I guess it's just how it is in Massachusetts and probably some other areas too. It's interesting, like you said, how basic social interactions are from different parts of the states. I could see myself choosing another person based by his social interactions but I may be trading that experienced, very knowledgeable, albeit gruff demeanor for a more "friendlier" attitude by someone that couldn't even put a Lego set together, ya know?!
It's how people talk there . It's a cultural thing. Some folks that are not American and in other countries think the same of us here.. we are a rude society in general. Lacking in manners courtesy and etiquette. Our language even lacks respectful pronouns for people. For instance in Spanish there is a word for "you" and a more respectful one as well .. "tu" and"usted" there are no equivalency in English.. tu is what you would use to refer to a friend..... While usted is something you'd use to reference your mom or an elder or anyone you hold in high reverence... And children are tought to use the latter always until they became adults.. The tech here is a good guy as evidenced by his actions.. and in the long run that's what's important. I hear in his voice kindness although it sounds a bit harsh . But I totally hear what you are saying. I noticed that as well in the beginning.
Had a guy in Huntsville did much the same. Jackson Heating and Cooling. He said the compressor board was no good and we'd need a new compressor. I asked him 3 times if there was power to the board before he got indignant for "questioning his professionalism" but never did answer the question. 5 minutes after he left, we found the thermostat/compressor wires cut from construction. Also claimed it was 3 lbs low on freon, which I've since learned he could not have possibly known. Ended up costing $95 for an honest repairman.
It frustrates me that I can't get customers to report the previous contractor to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, only takes a phone call, AND I can't do it for them because I'm not the customer, so have no standing to file a complaint.
@@markbeiser probably because every contractor people deal with tell them how horrible the previous contractor was and how they did everything wrong. My wife and I joke about it every time we have some new trade come to do any work. Without fail they trash talk the previous guy’s work. Every, single, time.
@@OShackHennessy Yeah, I generally don't do that, very unprofessional, and for all I know, it could have been done by the customer's now deceased grandfather or something! There are cases where there is clear shit/dangerous work done by the previous contractor though.
AC units freeze up due to one of 2 reasons. Reduced airflow from either a dirty filter or closed dampers. A simple solution for any homeowner. The second reason is low refrigerant.
On the 3rd coil for new home 3 yrs old. Parts covered by warranty by manufacturer, but hitting me for $500 in labor for 2nd round. 3rd round I refused their diagnosis and they suddenly fixed it and charged $180 for a leak fix and feon. Neighbors have similar problems in this newly built neighborhood. AC repair companies are in on the fix.
I have a 1500sf house and need to replace the HVAC system including the ducts , approximately how much $ am I looking at? Just looking for a guesstimate.
Great job, Steve! I LOVE to see scammers exposed. I think that the old guy needs a while to process this whole experience before he is properly PISSED...(and grateful). A certain segment of American consumers seem a bit accustomed or complacent to being ripped-off. That`s how scammers stay in business. That crooks name was BRODER?
You are a good man, I had an HVAC business for 35 years, seen all the hacks trying to rip customers off, we went out & repaired other other co’s brand new installs cause Carrier would all us & we seen it all. Then you show up to this place with an oversized cu & dampers closed, classic. Godspeed brother!
Yeah that other guy tearing out wires makes it impossible for anyone to give a second opinion. That to me sounds deliberate and under handed. If I’d had seen someone tearing out wires before I say it’s ok I’d have kicked them off my property and then reported them to the city’s chamber of commerce and other authorities. That poor old guy didn’t seem to understand what you were explaining to him. Sadly we see a lot of that today.
Ten years ago we had a river flood from tropical storm Irene. Our condenser was completely submerged, but it was only one year old. All the mechanical contractors wanted to replace the unit in its entirety. I knew better. Since it was only a year old, the compressor was good. A friend of mine who is a retired commercial HVAC mechanic (old school) helped me replace the contacts, capacitors and fan motor, and clean the coil/housing. Less than $100 in parts. It's been running fine ever since. I wonder how many of my neighbors spent the money for the entire new condenser.
The ripoff artist was a turd to leave it like that unless the compressor was burnt out. If it was sorted to ground it could have been checked as he left it. But as it turned out it wasn't toast. I'd have checked each terminal to ground first thing when I saw that. Glad the customer got an honest guy for a 2nd opinion.
It's guys like this one that's the reason that I watch anytime anyone works on my system! I know of more than one person that's got ripped off by hacks like the guy you're talking about! I had a brand new total system (inside, outside units and all of the duct work) installed in 2019 and had a company that I've heard is a little shady cold call me and when I told them about the new system, they said "a lot of people hire them to check to make sure the other company did a good job"! Needless to say, I told them where to go and take me off of their list! Good for you for trying to help this customer out!
I think the customer didn't understand English very well or maybe it's because he's older. I hate scammers and they've probably taken advantage of this guy before.
That the trouble with soon heating engineer don't want to do small jobs so when they do come look for bigger problem that doesn't exist just ripping off the old guys and girls no wonder Steve your piss off name and shame keep up your good work because these people need you. Many thanks Steve from the UK.
I wish you were in Minnesota. I’d be calling you for all my plumbing and HVAC questions. Would you ever be open to any phone questions about general plumbing issues? Of course I’d reimburse for your time. Thanks for all the great videos. They are comical and educational at the same time! Fantastic!
I would check the a coil for air flow restrictions. then go recheck charge on a hot day. also replace his contactor, oil the motors, and get him a good filter. also do an amp check on the compressor. start and run amps
I’d have just tested the compressor before I hooked it back up. On those old rheems, a leaking in door coil or a bad compressor are the only reasons I’d suggest unit replacement. (R-22 units are expensive to replace the condenser and evaporator on today and based on the age of the unit it’s only a matter of time before something else fails out of warranty).
I’m not an AC tech but I know enough about the system, no tech will get away with crap like that on my AC. Living in Florida we depend on it to work. Mine is a 2003 Trane. It’s hard to stop a Trane! I service the filter and drain line often, if it ain’t broke we don’t fix it. Luckily I have a guy I can trust, but I still watch everything he does. Great video.
Steve you should've got that guy's number for us so we could blow his phone up so he has to pay for a new number. I can't believe the homeowner was so calm about. I would've jokingly told them if you're not that worried about throw me some free money.
Just had a guy at my sons house. 1 1/2 year old house and interior fan motor not running. The dude said he needed new blower and electric panel. Parts under warranty but said it would cost around $600 for labor. I know a bit since I e been around and called bullshit. He got a second opinion from the builders ac people. The pan had a overflow switch that the wire had come off (something like that). 5 minute detection and working great. Pissed me off too , taking advantage of young newbies. Stans heating and air Austin. Beware!
I think I had that exact unit in a house I just sold. It was a 1994 model and still working great. I lived their 14 years and only replaced an interior blower motor for $300.
Thank you for posting this. Hopefully it will make viewers with elderly relatives more aware of the scams that can be easily pulled on them. Some years back my elderly aunt who lived alone called in a electrician to change an outlet because when you plugged something in, the plug literally fell right out. Well, the electrician was happy to change it and oh by the way, told her that main panel was outdated and “dangerous” even though she had zero problems with it. Scared, she agreed to have it changed and that added another $1,200 to the original $110 bill.
It’s cool to be able to use this as both entertainment and education as someone in the hvac field. (Even though I’ll just be doing maintenance and very simple repairs in the beginning.)
You should bait the guy, put a hidden camera in a bait house and call him out to a simple job, and expose him on YT.
@@jockoharpo2622 grow up men can speak how ever they want
Jacko, you’re wrong. This guys a Saint. I don’t care what you think about respect-you’re ideas are twisted. I would have called the police on the thief and pressed charges. Plus, you talk too much. Has anyone ever told you that?
Hell yeah.
@@jockoharpo2622 While I stand by, you make excellent points for baiting and exposing the previous tech.
I am not in HVAC; however, I have worked in marketing and know that say and proving why your company is better than the competition without tearing down the completion is better in the long term for customer retention.
@@jockoharpo2622 Good point. Also, Jones can be, how do I put this; in the way. And in the name of respect to the said, a person may leave.
Hi Steve..I’m a retired fitter/plumber,We were a multi generational mechanical Corp,started by grandfather..In the business all those years in amazed me at the things some contractors did to elderly and gullible people.I seen guys basically rob customers,they should have carried a gun not a pipe wrench.I never ever robbed anyone,my dad and grandfather ALWAYS stressed a fair days work for a fair days pay.I could never take advantage of people and because of that we made a great living
I am currently in school and am interested in becoming an HVAC tech in the future. I believe the number 1 rule in the business of HVAC is to not cheat people money, as it will just most likely just come back on you in a really bad way.
@@GeorgiaHvacAndMore I do both hvac and plumbing, plumbing is the way to go imo
@@BigSizzle88 both is 👌🏻
i can agree an Honest hardworking business is a successful business
I had a plumber look at my 20 yo gas hot water service, the water was coming out lukewarm and I suspected the brass mixing valve. I told the guy to replace it and it was fine but he told me the hot water service is on it’s last legs and needed to be replaced and I had only a year or so left in it. He was more interested in replacing the hot water service and his business model is convincing old people to replacing their gas appliances. He already condemmned my gas heater without looking at it.
It's sad some people are only a professional con artist!.. Once again honest Steve saves the day!!
Name the guy Steve and do some yelp reviews of his company.
@@tednitta1785 I agree if he’s really doing this stuff he should not be aloud to work on these systems
@@aday1637 I don`t think that the owner said that besides if a repairman refused to fix my system simply because it was oversize , I`d run him off my property....lol
Wow he hijacked some of the system more like thief’s Herry and Marv
@@aday1637 you don’t cut out parts of a system and not replace them just because it’s oversized. If a unit is not working then you fix it. If it’s oversized then you have a discussion with the customer about upgrading. And still, the customer has to agree to replacing the unit before just doing so.
Thank goodness the gentleman called Steve for another opinion. My elderly parents are the same way - they just want to go along and don't like to make waves. Watching TV and going to bed early is more important - and much less stressful - than a face-to-face confrontation when someone is ripping them off. You get a gold star for this one Steve.
OMG Steve, you have the patience of a saint. Trying to get that guy to understand how the system functions was making me crazy
Dis fuggin guy rite heaah... 🤣
if you find an honest capable plumber, hold onto them until they retire, and then ask them who to trust afterward. Just like you would with a good doctor or trustworthy mechanic.
Absolutely right! It's so hard to find honest people, but a few are out there.
One of the problems is some just want the lowest price and refuse to pay for what a job is worth, this leaves them to the hacks.
@@jockoharpo2622 tech is changing just like the electric vehicle will replace internal combustion what you do will be replaced or heavily altered in your lifetime. back to the future is finally your reality!
@@jockoharpo2622 too many low iq drunks without extraciriccular activitiy or study in their life, just a bummy wife, a bottle and someones kid
none of this video has anything to do with plumbing
This is the first video I've seen where you're not joking around. You're mad.
@@jockoharpo2622 All of that is true, but Steve just isn't the kind of guy with a heart of glass or a heart of stone. He's not hanging around in a dead-end town
@@jockoharpo2622 LOL
I got it, I'm an 80's kid. I was riffing on the last verse:
You got a heart of glass or a heart of stone?
Just you wait ’til I get you home
We’ve got no future, we’ve got no past
Here today, built to last
In every city, in every nation
from Lake Geneva to the Finland station
@@jockoharpo2622 he was just finishing the song dude
Thats what burned the wire...compressor slugging due to low airflow
I’m sure he cares, but he’s an older man. He would let these things slide to avoid confrontation. You’re a good man!
As a HVAC tech, I always hated going behind another tech, they usually caused more work on a simple fix by trying to up sale a job, it is ridiculous.
A+ Work Ethic Steve
Glad to see someone taking care of people
Not only the older folks. I had one a few years ago, young single mom, a competitor told her the condenser fan motor was bad and the unit was in poor shape. Unit was in decent shape, after a new run capacitor, it worked fine. Had it up and running by the time her dad got there. Boy was he pissed 😡. Some people just don't have a conscious, I guess. Good post, Steve.
When I first started out 20 some years ago as an installer , I worked for a company that had several service guys we called "sales techs". We were taking out 8-9 year old furnaces because of "cracked heat exchangers". Never found a crack after pulling out the furnace. It was always old people. I had grandparents that age, so it pissed me off. I got out of that place pretty quickly.
I got an apology from a sizeable HVAC company when I caught one of their techs lying about a cracked heat exchanger, many years ago. I got a second opinion, and everything was fine. So I switched my maintenance service to those guys. I'm always suspicious of AC coolant leaks that they're somehow unable to find too, but those are harder to prove as scams to sell you an expensive new unit.
And as an expert witness, reported the crook to the AG's office for prosecution?
I would have gotten him off the street and out of business.
@@joesterling4299 You don't have to prove anything. That's the job of law enforcement. They will establish a pattern of behavior which you can't.
I worked for a company like that. Pushed me to sell everything under the sun. I switched to install and it got a bit better, but then I found we were pulling out similar units to you, 8-9 yrs old, and the same with the "sales techs". That company has salesmen with tool bags. I'm glad I left that company.
At my company I have to take the heat exchanger out and point out the hole to my manager or I'm in deep shit if I sell a furnace.
The service company let the refrigerant out of my Grandmother's unit, and then tried to sell her a new unit. She asked me to take a look at it. I cleaned the condenser coil (the root cause of issues), recharged it and trimmed the charge, re-insulated about 5 feet of the suction line. That was 35 years ago. She since has passed away, but the unit is still running and hasn't been charged since. A 1974 Sears Amana. You do good work, Steve.
When I hear people say to expect to get 10 years out of a unit, I cringe.
@@mctransportation9831 I had a similar RUUD unit (3 ton) installed in my folks house back in 1993 or so. It's had a few parts replaced, but is still running! Meanwhile the builder grade stuff on our townhomes (mine and neighbors) would die after 10 years or less. Most had been replaced by 2013. The indoor coils would get bad leaks. Even when new, the expansion valves would leak within the first year or two (fortunately covered by builder warranty). They were R-22 systems too, so limited options other than replacing it. R-22 recharging was getting very expensive! The newer models (a step up from builder grade) seem to be pretty good, even if they stayed with the same manufacturer. They were from one of the major manufacturers, so not sure if they always had coil problems and now use aluminum coils or what.
@@rodhoutx i had a ruud built in 1994 in the house i just sold. I was there 14 summers and right before I Ieft, I had to replace an interior blower motor. That's it. The part was $300. What is a builder model? Im assuming that something cheap that builder use to cut corners.
@@mctransportation9831 It's just going to be cheapest models bought in bulk. It was really probably just those particular models in that time period. I actually remember now that I had that same looking model at a house I bought in 1997 (not a new home). The compressors would get louder over time, noise and rattles, but that used to be pretty typical. Though my dad's RUUD is still pretty much the same noise level even 20+ years later. But when I've seen the newer models and replacements 10 years later (same brand) they were so much quieter and still run quiet many years later, so I think they redesigned all their models. Even my dad's neighbor had one of them installed about 7-10 years ago, and it still looks and sounds like new (it faces my dad's unit), and is still the lower end model. It was just interesting walking through my neighborhood (built in same time period, same builder) and slowly see all the units get changed out so soon. They would have all been R-22 units, so the phase out probably played a major role in forcing replacement if they kept having leaks.
I love how honest and caring you are to your customers. With other ppl its all about the money
Jobes streact for done kues rght ajust mes done
im a retired journeyman and i say you did a great job of thorough troubleshooting and honest representation of the trade.
I own a home improvement business and I am a licensed home inspector in North Carolina and I see this kind of crap often I have my first customer from 19 years ago and all because I'm honest.
@@jockoharpo2622 How many people have you scammed so far?
This is our country today...full of scammer and ripoff artists...I do bee removals in Baltimore and there are several scammer/ripoff artists here fleecing people who are scared by bees and charging them 3 or 4 times what I charge for an honest days work.
Oh but when large banks lend you cheap money with no down payment require to buy a house and a few years later the interest on the money goes up and you are force to foreclose, it’s your own fault and should done your own research, buddy.
That's why you should carefully read the loan papers before you sign 😀
@@jimmyday9536 you are part of the problem with blissful ignorance.
@@patrickmccarthy5617 Buddy, I read everything before I sign ANYTHING...only a complete jackass signs their lives away without understanding WTF they are doing
Around here people ( with bee hives) remove bees for free... and use them in there hives.
You need to call the attorney generals office for your state on this guy. They will start a consumer fraud investigation on him.
Don't hold your breath...they are why idiots like him are licensed (if he is) and insured etc. No one follows up on the licensees unless there are complaints which usually tend to be too late to help out those already damaged, taken, scamed etc.
@Garth2011 in my state indiana u can get in serious civil trouble for shit like this by OSHA and the firemarshal to no joke
the State AG should be involved in this guys buisness dealings..
Agreed... They should be investigating whose deferral services which seems to be the ENABLERS. They claim to be a benefit... Are the getting kickbacks from the companys they referee?
theres big companies that operate like that i work in an area adjacent to his in ri for us we would contact dlt office of professional regulation file a complaint against his license with trade board
in mass were steve is under 10 tons only need an epa cert for refrigerant no license to go after
@@pat9973 if you are going to post comments please check your sentences so we can understand what you are trying to relay to us. Thank you
Refrigerartion Management i work in rhode island and im and hvac guy so grammer aint the best. steve is in the southeast mass area adjacent to were i work.
in rhode island even to do residential cooling is a two year apprenticeship to get a license. that license is governed by a state agency. so in RI you have a goverment body that will take and investigate claims to a point. i personally dont always agree with this level of regulation but in cases like this i see why it can be a good thing. this is because that license can be revoked.
in mass were steve is there is no license to do refrigeration work on any system under 10 tons of cooling (120k btu). all that is required is a federal epa card we all have to get to handle refrigerant.
this significantly lowers the bar as far as entry to the market, which is not necessarily a bad thing. however it does mean that any consequences come in civil court for a contractor in mass. versus were i am one state over there is a contractor board that you cam complain to that is comprised of people that know the trade
@@pat9973 Your grammar is better than 85% of TH-cam! 😄
No one is perfect, I wish I had Steve in my area, I would call him in a heart beat. Thanks Steve for all the videos. As a homeowner I know a swear and carry on when I am fixing stuff, I have watched a few of Steve's videos and he is very tame as compared to me. All in all I think he is a good guy educating the public , Thank You Mr Lavimoniere . That being said I have turned over a new leaf, and plan on changing my ways about carrying on and swearing when I am trying to fix something , So thank you all for pointing that out. One more thing......Nice Dog
Great video Steve. Unfortunately the HVAC trade is full of these A holes.
Nice you got it running for them. Although you need to invest in a proper crimping tool
Na for the side spade terminals easier to use standard pliers then crimper tool as not to crush spade part
@@tommycabanaw4875 they have plier style crimpers in all sorts of configurations that would work better her than channellocks. Steve is still the man though.
@John Doe hey were you the first guy that checked the a/c?
Bruh that's how everyone does it, are you telling me there's a special tool?! Duck me rent is is due but now I need one lol
And a pair of knipex cobras
You know the guy is a crook when he removes parts like that, if it was junk you have no need to pull or cut anything
yeah back in the day when i worked on cars not all but there were guys who would finish burning the clutch out on a manual trans on the lift putting it in 5 gear and dumping the clutch so the customer could not drive away to go elsewhere i always fixed the complaint first then up sold any work that i saw was needed but to smoke a clutch or disable the car thats criminal in my book theres enough legit work out there that you dont have to be lazy and not look for it
The only time you disable a unit is if a fuel furnace left to run can cause a fire / CO problem. Even then just pull a wire / leave a note as to why. And you tell the customer / have them sign off on it.
wasnt one of the brothers didnt he blow a horn and was a mute what was his name again not Groucho
You can certainly sleep nights Steve.. Thanks for your honesty and professionalism.
Good video, Steve -- looking out for the customers even if they aren't looking out for themselves. expose that slasher! ripping off older couples is not good!
I don’t understand this comment. These “older couples” didn’t end up buying a new unit. So this comment is completely pointless.
He was a scammer momma!
@@patrickmccarthy5617 Not THIS customer, fine, minor point made. But I’ll bet 3 out of 10 follow thru with that Ahole to buy a whole new system. So your comment above is highly incomplete and you owe Ryan an apology.
Perhaps he didn't film it but since most of the wires were off at the compressor why not ohm out windings and then check so see if there was a short to ground before wireing it back up? Just curious about your process.
Because he sucks lol
Wondered the same thing. Just a mental hiccup I think. He was upset about the guy potentially trying to scam people and wanted to quickly prove it by testing the compressor with power. Assuming windings were shorted, it wouldn't have been the end of the world when he fired it up, just some blown fuses. No real further damage would be done.
Take your concerns to the Town Council. If they are licensing him they may be held partially responsible for his dastardly deeds!
In the old days he'd be tarred and feathered, much to good for him.
Keep up the good work,Steve, help protect the elderly.
I would say that he may not even be licensed. Some of these crooks operate in an area for a while, then move-on somewhere else.
I’d report him to the better business administration and also see if there’s a way to have his hvac license revoked.
@@brianburns7211 ---- Never go by the Better Business Bureau's rating, never., the amount a business pays them each year sets their BBB ratings, not complaints or poor workmanship.
@@davidnull5590 I understand YELP is like this as well. Pay your money and get good reviews. Don’t pay and bad reviews come flying.
@@davidnull5590 In Mass the trades are pretty closely regulated. Maybe he can have his license revoked. The attorney general would be another good place to report the crook.
They don’t seem to care. They probably are too old to care about money that much comparing to other things such as health and family. End of the day Steve came across as the jerk to them because Steve was mad and was yelling at them while the con-man was all smiling and sweettalking.
I would love to see him slapped after confronted for sabotaging the unit.
Wow. Some people have lost all sense of integrity. I don’t know how some people can feel good about themselves scamming customers like that. Steve saved the day on this one!
Federal government same way
It still worth to verify AC breaker at panel. If compressor wire did burnt down, likely breaker is not healthy as well.
Why didn't you do an OHM test on the windings before spending time wiring it?
Steve already had the visual proof, heavily corroded copper wire, melted insulation wire cut off= hot loose connection burnt off, years of experience not necessary on this one, yes the meter would have indicated that high resistance connection was there but only if it was still connected and reading at the contactor.
scammers kill me, thank you for having integrity and I concur with Mark Zinsmeyer, call the local news station see if they will investigate this guy.
I think I remember that guy 😆 one of your old videos you told a customer I can't check your system because all the parts are missing. That's crazy.
ALSO BIGGEST HACKER I EVER SEEN , SLASHER BIGTIME
Call the bastard in Steve
@@stevenlavimoniere aka Chiseler figurately and physically
I think I remember an old video he came behind the same guy as well.
@@speckulator7516 yeah it was a compressor with nothing inside. The guy disconnected and took everything.
As a retired commercial/ industrial HVAC/ Controls guy , thanks for being honest.
The HVAC trade has a lot of hackers but when they rip off old people it makes it criminal.
It’s ok to rip off young people I guess
Theres nothing worse than older customers getting screwed
@@OShackHennessy yeah buddy those are his exact words, geezus
Steven you have the most honest and informative HVAC channel on TH-cam! Everyone please share this honest man's work! #TH-cam #HVAC
My favorite is MI Heating Guy
@@orfeous anti diy is good also but Steve is the best
I am a retired Appliance/HVAC Repairman and I also have run many a call after people like him who are too lazy or under trained to repair things correctly It is a shame and gives all the honest hard working Techs a bad name Keep up the good work
Sadly, it’s not all that uncommon. And it’s not just older people. Anyone is susceptible to being taken for a ride if you’re not familiar with the problem at hand. Luckily you came along when you did. 👍👍
We have scammers by incompetence in my town , They bi-passed all safety controls in a Dairy Queen's furnace and air make-up unit , destroyed a $100,000 burner in a snow melter ,replaced a $15,000 DHW boiler with a plugged heat exchanger , That company has nearly 50 employees and that goes on daily .
Nice work Steve! They do the same thing in Michigan! My wife turned down her dads AC so far it froze the coil. They called local service tech he pulled the disconnect and told them he needed to replace the whole unit. All I had to do was let the unit thaw and tell my father in law to keep my wife away from the thermostat.
Ive frozen my coil before when adjusting the vents :) What I do is turn on the heat and it melts it pretty quick.
This is why I do not trust anyone working on anything in my house including the cars. I do as much as I can. Typical from these stupid companies "You need a new furnace / Air Conditioning system". Had them tell me that once on my furnace and turned out to to be the exhaust fan. Furnace kept shutting down because of the bad fan. BTW - Greeting from North Central Indiana. :)
Wow! This problem seems to be one of those that really IS "SYSTEMIC"!
I turn my ac down to 65 with no issues. What did they set there’s on ?
@@adamcraig1568 I think its more so that they had their vents closed and then it would freeze up the exchanger. There was not enough air flow thru the ducs to keep it from freezing up.
@@adamcraig1568 she no doubt had it as low as it would go! I just turned off the air and waited for it to thaw and set the thermostat to 70. Never had another issue. I am just a pipefitters and hvac tech from work helped troubleshoot the issue. I am pretty handy and can usually troubleshoot with help. But I know my limitations and very much appreciate videos and commentary from you pros! Make us ordinary Joe's look good some times. Save a buck and as in this video and my initial comment whoop a scammer once in a while.
I see several problems: closed dampers could lead to frozen evaporator coil, non-insulated ductwork wastes energy, the garage air should not be mixed with the house, 5 ton is for a
3000 sq ft house
That customer wont believe a word of that....he doesnt sound like he is really listening
Thats how I operate Steve. I like keeping the old junk going for as long as it could. We all have to live with our selves. Again thanks.
a ruud reeam is not junk. they are goodunits. the coopland comp is also good
I worked on a condenser that is 42 years old this week. All what was wrong was burnt points in contactor. I love working on old equipment
Hey Steve, Bless your heart buddy, easy on the old man he doesn't know any better. We just need to bust some balls on them pricks scamming people, you know what i mean? WTF is wrong with these people, Huh. You Steve, your a true patriot!
The skuzzzy probably won't change out the unit.
Its commendable you were willing to expose this attempted theft
These people are are so feeble they cant comprehend the fraud that was attempted on them. This guy needs to be prosecuted and barred from hvac service.
Some HVAC guys would have walked away from cut wires and missing parts on a system that old. Great job repairing it... you are one of the good one's!
As a mechanic and business owner, this kind of thing makes me very angry. I always do my best to show issues I found and problems that I think are causing the complaint, to my customers. When I can't, I take pictures for them. NEVER would it occur to me, to scam them for anything, time, parts or upsell them something they just don't need.
They are bastards that do that, I would chase them off the yard with my 2" wrench. Especially old people that deserve our respect and admiration shouldn't be scammed for their money like this. People that do that deserve a good lashing once a week, until they learn some respect and another round for their sins.
Glad to see you are an honest man. I hate those people who take advantage of the elderly. Thank God you are a straight shooter. You are an awesome technician love your videos and Miss Molly, she is a little sweetheart. Got to be a proud Master HVAC Technician Mama, next level, next level Mama. One of the worst jobs I was on one night was an old Onida Royal hot air system cant remember the burner make now, but it was an old low- pressure burner 1725 RPM right - hand - rotation . The burner air tube was burnt up at the end where the head was, I had another old low- pressure burner with the same dia. air tube . I had to go back to my shop to make this new air tube. I cut it to length using a hose clamp and hacksaw, used the original nozzle tube, cleaned the furnace heat exchanger, put it back together with a new nozzle, and adjusted air for efficiency. I think I was on the job for 5 hrs. but got em up and running. Middle of winter in Caratunk Maine.
Steve. You should give this guy a call, and let him know you’ve seen his work
Glad you take videos to show us exactly what the other hack does. A bad installation to begin with and then this hack comes along. Criminal to take advantage of anybody like that, let alone the elderly. That hack should be arrested and taken directly to jail. Thanks for being so honest and direct with your customer, Steve. Honest work with honest prices and honest suggestions. You have set the "bar". That other guy should be sued, license taken (if he even has one) and made to pay back each customer for the damage and theft he has done by a court order. So thankful you take videos!
I had a guy come out and check my refrigerant levels on my two a/c units. We have security cameras all over the place and apparently he didn't notice, but I saw that he took his equipment over and bent down close to the units, and played on his phone for a bit, and then did the same thing near the other one. Never once hooked up the a/c manifold unit. Called the company and told them what happened and they sent the same guy back out. He apologized and did the work that he was supposed to do.
Wow, just wow! I would have just demand a refund and went with another company. That company doesn't deserve your business after their service tech tried to scam you. Screw them!
@@gavinsauer1608 I haven't ever called them back. Went with another company.
While it doesn't sound like this was the case in your situation, keep in mind that many of us are using Bluetooth connected probes/tools when testing systems, I typically have anywhere from 5 to 11 going on a system, as well as reporting and invoicing apps.
While we do appear to be fiddling with our phones a lot, we are not just playing with our phones. 😉
@@markbeiser no this was about 6 years ago, and he never hooked anything up.
Unfortunately, this is all too common in the HVAC repair business. One HVAC guy told me that he made most of his new condensing unit sales to old retired people and women. He would try to scare them into buying new equipment by telling them that the compressor would fail very soon.
Personally every time If i ran into this with this particular person I would tell the customers to contact the attorney generals office and report him for damaging their equipment, sooner or later they’ll look into it and he’ll lose his licensing
Good idea! Let`s hope that the AG concerned is honest and diligent, themselves, and not on the take. God help us.
@@craigharding475 well considering this is Maura Healey you’re talking about you might not get anywhere
@@Scott079 LOL! Scott, one does has to take everything in consideration, after all! Maybe going to the local TV station would get more results.
He's doing this to old people because they are much less likely to complain. When you are older, you only have so much energy in a day and there is not enough to deal with extra BS.
In my state we have laws dealing with scammers taking advantage of the elderly.
I'm a electrician by trait and work on HVAC. I've came across the same crap people ripping off older people. I've testified in court against 4 or 5 electricians for ripping off people. You are a very nice person.
I like this technician guy. You can tell by his voice that he cares and he’s honest.
A vanishing breed.
I wonder if the airflow restriction inside lead to flooding the compressor, which overloaded it....
My elderly mom (we lost her this spring) took her 2 year old car to get an inspection. They told her she needed a new horn because it was not loud enough. I had come over that prior weekend and checked out all the lights, horn, brakes, codes, etc. so it was sure to pass. I couldn't take it in myself because I was out of town that week and she waited until the sicker was almost expired I really really get pissed of when elderly people get taken advantage of. This was a big Chevy dealer in my area. So the slashers are everywhere.
True-that. Even the BBB will give a report on a car dealership with a mention such as: "A lot of complaints...but not unusual for this this type of business."
Scammers and cheats are everywhere and in every field. You have to educate yourself to spot them.
GM are the biggest scammers. This shouldn't be surprising.
@@TheGuruStud I have not driven GM since 1969. Datsun, Suzuki, Hyundai, since then, except for one Chrysler lemon.
Systems don't need freon/refrigerant unless its leaking. Wires don't burn unless its pulling too many amps. You just gave a temporary fix.
“Started up F****in lozsa” love it totally get it , what’s the point of doing anything if your not going to do it
I was waiting for the part where the compressor is ohmed out or even checked but maybe it was edited out? Also the ductwork has BIG LETTERS saying LOOK, meaning they’ve done that shit before, or maybe it came loose. I dont know.
I've been watching your videos for quite some time now, I don't recall seeing you this mad, my blood was boiling too. You are a hell of a good guy Steve, my utmost respect to you.
"YOU GOTTA OPEN 'EM UP! YOU CAN'T RUN LIKE THAT!" cracked me up.
it's hard work to tell a customer they're doing something wrong without insulting them or making them feel stupid. i could never even imagine talking to them the way you do. they'd run me off and blacklist my company. it's remarkable how different basic social interactions are from here to there.
I was thinking the same thing! I guess it's just how it is in Massachusetts and probably some other areas too. It's interesting, like you said, how basic social interactions are from different parts of the states. I could see myself choosing another person based by his social interactions but I may be trading that experienced, very knowledgeable, albeit gruff demeanor for a more "friendlier" attitude by someone that couldn't even put a Lego set together, ya know?!
Agree
It's how people talk there . It's a cultural thing. Some folks that are not American and in other countries think the same of us here.. we are a rude society in general. Lacking in manners courtesy and etiquette. Our language even lacks respectful pronouns for people. For instance in Spanish there is a word for "you" and a more respectful one as well .. "tu" and"usted" there are no equivalency in English.. tu is what you would use to refer to a friend..... While usted is something you'd use to reference your mom or an elder or anyone you hold in high reverence... And children are tought to use the latter always until they became adults..
The tech here is a good guy as evidenced by his actions.. and in the long run that's what's important. I hear in his voice kindness although it sounds a bit harsh .
But I totally hear what you are saying. I noticed that as well in the beginning.
@@dotcomnsense Very true. Sometimes a rough-speaking but capable person can be cast aside for a mild mannered idiot.
All people from Mass are complete a-holes. Is a complete sh*t hole of a state, so it makes sense.
Had a guy in Huntsville did much the same. Jackson Heating and Cooling. He said the compressor board was no good and we'd need a new compressor. I asked him 3 times if there was power to the board before he got indignant for "questioning his professionalism" but never did answer the question. 5 minutes after he left, we found the thermostat/compressor wires cut from construction. Also claimed it was 3 lbs low on freon, which I've since learned he could not have possibly known. Ended up costing $95 for an honest repairman.
If he did that around here I'd have his license revoked.
until he is reported or called out, he will continue
It frustrates me that I can't get customers to report the previous contractor to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, only takes a phone call, AND I can't do it for them because I'm not the customer, so have no standing to file a complaint.
@@markbeiser probably because every contractor people deal with tell them how horrible the previous contractor was and how they did everything wrong. My wife and I joke about it every time we have some new trade come to do any work. Without fail they trash talk the previous guy’s work. Every, single, time.
@@OShackHennessy Yeah, I generally don't do that, very unprofessional, and for all I know, it could have been done by the customer's now deceased grandfather or something!
There are cases where there is clear shit/dangerous work done by the previous contractor though.
There's a shortage of capable and honest men in America. Keep toeing the line, Steve.
You do see on those rheem condenser, that the spade connectors get corroded on the lugs of the compressor. Good job steven.
i have noticed that the condensor coil fin seem to be very corroded could this cause higher amperage draw on the supply load to the compressor?
Thanks Steve, for looking out for the elderly. There are so many POS scammers out there that target the elderly. Really pisses me off.
AC units freeze up due to one of 2 reasons. Reduced airflow from either a dirty filter or closed dampers. A simple solution for any homeowner. The second reason is low refrigerant.
Cool how you hooked it all back up made the actual wire repair and checked his ducting! Yeah, thats a huge unit!
On the 3rd coil for new home 3 yrs old. Parts covered by warranty by manufacturer, but hitting me for $500 in labor for 2nd round. 3rd round I refused their diagnosis and they suddenly fixed it and charged $180 for a leak fix and feon. Neighbors have similar problems in this newly built neighborhood. AC repair companies are in on the fix.
Some people Just shouldn't be Aloud to Breathe the same Oxagen as us! One day That scammer will mess around with wrong person.
I have a 1500sf house and need to replace the HVAC system including the ducts , approximately how much $ am I looking at? Just looking for a guesstimate.
Check into a Multi Split system
No Ducts required
Doing Gods work Steve! Good on you Sir!
Steven you are a good honest man. Your AC skills are outstanding to rewire that unit.
Great job, Steve! I LOVE to see scammers exposed. I think that the old guy needs a while to process this whole experience before he is properly PISSED...(and grateful). A certain segment of American consumers seem a bit accustomed or complacent to being ripped-off. That`s how scammers stay in business. That crooks name was BRODER?
You are a good man, I had an HVAC business for 35 years, seen all the hacks trying to rip customers off, we went out & repaired other other co’s brand new installs cause Carrier would all us & we seen it all. Then you show up to this place with an oversized cu & dampers closed, classic. Godspeed brother!
Yeah that other guy tearing out wires makes it impossible for anyone to give a second opinion. That to me sounds deliberate and under handed. If I’d had seen someone tearing out wires before I say it’s ok I’d have kicked them off my property and then reported them to the city’s chamber of commerce and other authorities. That poor old guy didn’t seem to understand what you were explaining to him. Sadly we see a lot of that today.
Ten years ago we had a river flood from tropical storm Irene. Our condenser was completely submerged, but it was only one year old. All the mechanical contractors wanted to replace the unit in its entirety. I knew better. Since it was only a year old, the compressor was good. A friend of mine who is a retired commercial HVAC mechanic (old school) helped me replace the contacts, capacitors and fan motor, and clean the coil/housing. Less than $100 in parts. It's been running fine ever since. I wonder how many of my neighbors spent the money for the entire new condenser.
The ripoff artist was a turd to leave it like that unless the compressor was burnt out. If it was sorted to ground it could have been checked as he left it. But as it turned out it wasn't toast. I'd have checked each terminal to ground first thing when I saw that. Glad the customer got an honest guy for a 2nd opinion.
It's guys like this one that's the reason that I watch anytime anyone works on my system! I know of more than one person that's got ripped off by hacks like the guy you're talking about! I had a brand new total system (inside, outside units and all of the duct work) installed in 2019 and had a company that I've heard is a little shady cold call me and when I told them about the new system, they said "a lot of people hire them to check to make sure the other company did a good job"! Needless to say, I told them where to go and take me off of their list! Good for you for trying to help this customer out!
I think the customer didn't understand English very well or maybe it's because he's older. I hate scammers and they've probably taken advantage of this guy before.
On several or many of his videos the customers seem unintelligent or something else(?).
@@barackobama5304 I didn't catch that.
Good for you Steve!!!! People like you will keep pushing those hacks the hell out of your area... God bless you.
That the trouble with soon heating engineer don't want to do small jobs so when they do come look for bigger problem that doesn't exist just ripping off the old guys and girls no wonder Steve your piss off name and shame keep up your good work because these people need you. Many thanks Steve from the UK.
I wish you were in Minnesota. I’d be calling you for all my plumbing and HVAC questions. Would you ever be open to any phone questions about general plumbing issues? Of course I’d reimburse for your time. Thanks for all the great videos. They are comical and educational at the same time! Fantastic!
Your a good man Steve, that's why I like your TH-cam channel and pass it along to people
I would check the a coil for air flow restrictions. then go recheck charge on a hot day. also replace his contactor, oil the motors, and get him a good filter. also do an amp check on the compressor. start and run amps
What a Hack in Your New Video i just watched it that takes A'lot of Gall Should be in Jail.. Good Job Steve Getting it running again.
I’d have just tested the compressor before I hooked it back up. On those old rheems, a leaking in door coil or a bad compressor are the only reasons I’d suggest unit replacement. (R-22 units are expensive to replace the condenser and evaporator on today and based on the age of the unit it’s only a matter of time before something else fails out of warranty).
Can’t stop a Rheem! I have the same year condenser.
. The Florida pool pump motor repair guy approved ! that was good info Steven
Yeah that hack that did that is a first-class piece of shit. He'll get his just deserts eventually. Great job Steve👍.
I’m not an AC tech but I know enough about the system, no tech will get away with crap like that on my AC. Living in Florida we depend on it to work. Mine is a 2003 Trane. It’s hard to stop a Trane! I service the filter and drain line often, if it ain’t broke we don’t fix it. Luckily I have a guy I can trust, but I still watch everything he does. Great video.
Steve you should've got that guy's number for us so we could blow his phone up so he has to pay for a new number. I can't believe the homeowner was so calm about. I would've jokingly told them if you're not that worried about throw me some free money.
Lol sadly you dont pay for new numbers, all you have to do is tell your phone company that you need a new number.
Just had a guy at my sons house. 1 1/2 year old house and interior fan motor not running. The dude said he needed new blower and electric panel. Parts under warranty but said it would cost around $600 for labor. I know a bit since I e been around and called bullshit. He got a second opinion from the builders ac people. The pan had a overflow switch that the wire had come off (something like that). 5 minute detection and working great. Pissed me off too , taking advantage of young newbies. Stans heating and air Austin. Beware!
The old guy did care, but you were scaring him. LOL.
Just yelling at the guy LOL..Very good what he did for him, though. I bet the guy also closed both dampers as soon as he left, hah.
@@poogan1239 thats what I think....I have had lots of these conversations with customers over the years..
I think I had that exact unit in a house I just sold. It was a 1994 model and still working great. I lived their 14 years and only replaced an interior blower motor for $300.
The difference between you , Steve and that hack is , You are a Technician and the hack is a salesman and con artist.
Thank you for posting this. Hopefully it will make viewers with elderly relatives more aware of the scams that can be easily pulled on them. Some years back my elderly aunt who lived alone called in a electrician to change an outlet because when you plugged something in, the plug literally fell right out. Well, the electrician was happy to change it and oh by the way, told her that main panel was outdated and “dangerous” even though she had zero problems with it. Scared, she agreed to have it changed and that added another $1,200 to the original $110 bill.
Could have been a fpe or zinsco panel, those are dangerous. FPE is the only company I've ever heard of that had their UL listings revoked.
so shines a good deed,
in a weary world
Good movie
It’s cool to be able to use this as both entertainment and education as someone in the hvac field. (Even though I’ll just be doing maintenance and very simple repairs in the beginning.)