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Another story I like to tell that I have used several times to refuse to work for someone.

A customer may question my integrity. Maybe even call me a crook for quoting an expensive repair.

Here is a nice way to call them a crook or dishonest right back.

“My mother taught me that there are many kinds of people out in the world. Some are honest and some are not. But I find that most people are a product of their environment. So if someone believes that you are being dishonest, then they were probably brought up with a lot of dishonesty around them. Remember this when you deal with customers and be selective with who you do business with”

I tell this story to the customer word for word. Than I add

“Since you and I can’t agree that I am doing my best to help you at a fair price, then I am going to take my mother's advice and choose to not do business with you. You would be better off finding a contractor that you can trust to do this job for you.

You owe me nothing for this time. Please call one of my competitors to have this work done. Have a blessed day.”

I like to use “Blessed day” just to rub it in to those that might use this tactic against me. And there are those that will use religion to swindle you.

This happened at the end of a business day that was particularly busy and cold for one person I remember vividly. There was no way that homeowner was going to get another company to come out that evening. I left them with the estimate even though they didn’t pay the diagnostic fee. (which would entitle them to the estimate) and a cold home. Oh well. That is why I like the Flat Rate “up front pricing” plan that states the price before any real work is done. Lets you know if you are going to have a problem getting paid when the job is completed.

Just to update you all. I finally got a chance to plumb the B&G Airtrol into my boiler properly with 3/4" pipe. It's been working great so far for a week. I'd say this has to be the best this boiler has worked since new. Thanks again for all the help and suggestions. Here is a couple pictures of how I piped it to the tank.

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Good morning OldBoiler65,

Bravo, congratulation's to you for an excellent installation and repair to your boilers air management system that is plumbed within its existing piping risers that will provide you with trouble free air management.

Seeing the flanged gasketed pipe connections in your basements boiler piping illustrates true craftsmanship and thought regarding how your heating system was designed and installed.

Gaskets for flanged piping are still made and available, do not let anyone tell you these gaskets are not available as they are made by the A.W. Chesterton Company of Groveland, Mass., which has a nationwide distributor network.

As long as the larger air bubbles and microbubbles can escape the boiler steam chest they will waddle up the riser pipe to the ATF-12 Airtrol valve and the cool denser water in the base of the steel compression tank will fall, drop, sink back to the boilers steam chest waving so long to the rising air bubbles that are riding the hot water highway to the ATF-12 Airtrol valve.

Thanks for bringing sanity back to your homes heating system that will provide you smooth even quiet heating and eventually no air bubbles to your heating plant.

I walked away from a TRV project because a customer just wanted standard valves on the radiator so she could turn them off manually, but what she needed was TRVs to solve her problem. After agreeing to the price and the scope of the job, I ordered the parts and scheduled the work. A week later I drained the system and had my helper start to take a rad valve off. At that time in the middle of the job, she stated that she thought the price was too high and just wanted manual valves.

I told her that I can not work like this and told my helper to put the old broken valve back on the radiator. then pack up the tools. We are giving her back the deposit and she is no longer a customer. Don't call me for oil burner service any more. I was Firm on that point in front of the customer.

In about 5 minutes (after she talked to her daughter no doubt) She came back and said she was sorry and to do the job as agreed. I installed Five TRVs on the 5 hottest rooms radiators in the rooming house equipped with over 16 radiators. And all those double hung thermostats were closed all winter. That winter she saved about 800 Gallons of fuel oil compared to the previous year.

That next summer, She wanted the rest of the rest of the radiators equipped with TRVs. I selected a coldest room in the building to place the thermostat (using a remote sensor) and put a ECM pump on the boiler and left 2 radiators with no valve at all in that cold apartment. She ultimately cut her fuel oil usage by over 1200 gallons per year. Just about in half. The renters of the rooms could turn up the temperature or turn it down as they liked it. when a room was unoccupied the owner set to thermostat all the way down to #1. And i never got a call about setting the thermostat to 70 and the room is all the way down to 69°

When a customer can not make a decision, then changes their mind in the middle of the project, You have to STOP and put your foot down. I was helping here save money, all she needed to do was trust me. But I can empathize with some folks... but this customer was going to loose all that savings, and I would rather not do the job at all, than to accept her indecision.