Homeowner - Blowing off steam

Peter Means

Hello. I'm just a regular old homeowner, with no steam experience other than reading 2 of Dan's great books. How is that I've known more about steam heat than the last four techs I've had in (nice guys, just limited steam knowledge)? Their website states that they are steam experts.... Of course they know a bit about steam heat, but inevitably the end of their visits goes like this, "I'm not really the steam heat expert, Bob back at headquarters is though". Seems to me if they just read 2 of Dan's books they'd be better off than they are right now. I end up teaching them a few things each visit...

Timco

Ask Questions

Next call for help, ask questions when the tech shows up. Ask what type of system you have, and never let anyone just say you need a 'fitting' or 'valve'. Make them be specific and explain what the part is and does, and watch them start to sweat! I had a customer yesterday say they were told the rad in the upstairs would not heat because there must be a 'fitting' under their fir floors and that the floors would need to be taken up to make it work. Needed a good purge. Ask questions, HOs!



Tim

Peter Means

Ha!

Love it. By the way, I know you guys know what you are doing, that's why I'm sharing the humor in this with you. I'd note the funny things they have told me, but I do have some compassion for them... Just please know where the Hartford loop is and what it does.

Paul Pollets

Knowledge Base

Most techs don't read or take the training seminars offered by the manufacturers.  (Although those that visit this site seem to) There's also an extreme shortage of qualified techs due to the declining appeal of the industry and lack of incentives for recruitment or advanced training.



My father had a great line..."there's no such thing as too much knowledge" 



He was right.

Timco

Dan's article archives

Look under resources and find Dan's article on Hartford Loops. It is on the return and protects the boiler from a fast drain of a hot boiler should a wet return rupture.



Tim

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes

Peter has done his homework

I find many inquisitive homeowners and my favorite thing to do is to send them a copy of "We Got Steam Heat".  The last time was a week ago when I picked up a new customer;  a young Chinese woman that had just inherited her uncle's 15-unit apartment building.  She had so many questions and was overjoyed when I sent her the book.

Jean-David Beyer

My favorite line ...

... in this respect goes like this:



"If you think education is too expensive, you should try ignorance."



The interesting thing for me was that it was on the billboard of a storage locker place, not where I would expect philosophy.

DavidK_2

next tme

if Bob is the expert, ask them to send Bob,



giving a customer a book is a great idea.

Peter Means

Home owners can also give books

I gave my 2 Dan books to one of the techs. He was very appreciative. Bob is coming out.... 

DavidK_2

well done

good move

ttekushan_3

Speaking of blowing off steam

I was at a steam service call at a small apartment/storefront building. When I emerged from the outdoor basement stairs, I encountered a giant cloud of steam billowing from the basement stairwell at the building next door.



Naturally, I trotted over there to see what was up but I encountered within this cloud an inebriated maintenance man who was "relieving the steam pressure since it was too high." From his description, all the radiator vents are bad. When they all start blasting steam, he dutifully heads down there to "let out the steam."



I heard that this is a common occurrence there. I told him that we could fix that and left my card. I've never heard from them.



-Terry