Mandatory "Stay at Home" orders

Steamhead

So far, the states of California, Illinois and New York are under such orders.

Do these orders apply to our businesses, or are we considered "essential"?

If the latter, are people starting to cancel appointments?

What other effects are these orders having on us?

Discuss!

unclejohn

Well since I retired almost nil. But I do have some customers that still call. In fact I have two jobs lined up when I return home if I can get their. We moved our flight up to this Monday. God willin and the creek don't rise and the airport don't shut.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Don't know for sure but I would consider heating, AC and electrical and plumbing service essential.

I know Boston is booming construction jobs and they shut them all down so I would say construction stops and service keeps going.

The way I look at it I would think going into homes to clean boilers or to do routine HVAC service should be put on hold.

Emergency only. No heat or no ac But that's JMHO

jhrost

https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-issues-guidance-essential-services-under-new-york-state-pause-executive-order

jhrost

Good steam work is still essential, though Knuckleheads are considered non-essential until further notice.

bburd

In California, contractors that provide building repair and maintenance services are considered essential and are allowed to continue doing so.

San Francisco has shut down commercial construction projects, but allowed residential projects to continue due to the severe housing shortage.

SuperTech

I'm in New York. We are still working. HVAC service is considered an essential business.

STEVEusaPA

It PA we're essential. So is the beer distributor, but probably because they are the #1 retailer of state lottery tickets.
Here's the current list for PA (looks like they are negotiating a little 'relaxing' between local officials and the governor.
https://www.governor.pa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/20200319-Life-Sustaining-Business.pdf

SlamDunk

You are considered essential. If you have a job to go to, you wont be arrested.

SteamingatMohawk

Here's the New York list. Under Construction, the examples are plumbers and electricians, but it does not prohibit others. Anyone's guess about the others.

https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-issues-guidance-essential-services-under-new-york-state-pause-executive-order

Here's the PAUSE executive order.

https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-signs-new-york-state-pause-executive-order

HVACNUT

I wasn't essential before so I'll let it ride. I've got time saved.
We're slow. Builders stopping new construction. Service is basically nil right now.

The Fam is home too (which is why I just took a long walk with the dog. Alone.) so we'll hang here and catch up on upkeep.

hot_rod

No heat or hot water seems like a crucial call, especially with the hand washing protocol.

Follow local and state mandate first.

Also would it be unreasonable to ask the homeowner about at risk folks in the residence? Would you visit a home with an at risk elder, knowing you could contaminate their home?

Tough calls in this day.

Jamie Hall

The VC couldn't keep me in my hut. I'll be jigged if some politico will. On the other hand, I don't venture out much anyway, anymore. And I'm 80.

The Steam Whisperer

I just read through the governor's order for Illinois and construction and building maintenance are listed as essential so we are still at work. However, we are not entering living space if at all possible. We are sticking to boiler rooms only...ie new boiler installs, service and repairs of the boilers themselves.

I suspect we are going to have a huge spike in cases in the next week or so in my neighborhood. I live in the home of the South Side Irish of Chicago and despite the recommendations at that time of not meeting with more than 15 people, the local restaurants and taverns were jammed last weekend. I think that folly is going to take some lives in the community... some of them probably young ones that get sick because their parents became carriers. I sure do hope and pray I am wrong.

Steamhead

New Jersey just issued a stay-at-home order..........

mattmia2

STEVEusaPA said:

It PA we're essential. So is the beer distributor, but probably because they are the #1 retailer of state lottery tickets.

I dont think we want to find out what would happen if people are trapped at home with their families and the liquor stores are closed.

GW

Still working in Massachusetts, allowing customers to make the call. Probably gonna come to an end soon though

SuperTech

Even last week before the stay at home order I was wearing gloves in every house, and facemasks. It's hurting business. I'm concerned that homeowners won't have their A/C maintenance done this spring. Then of course everyone will change their mind about having a service tech over when it's hot out and the A/C doesn't work. It happens every year, this year will probably be worse than usual.

mattmia2

SuperTech said:

Even last week before the stay at home order I was wearing gloves in every house, and facemasks. It's hurting business. I'm concerned that homeowners won't have their A/C maintenance done this spring. Then of course everyone will change their mind about having a service tech over when it's hot out and the A/C doesn't work. It happens every year, this year will probably be worse than usual.

Perhaps some sort of carefully worded reminder that we are recommending deferring routune maitenance for public health reasons but you really want to try it out when it is 65 out so you can get someone out before it is 90 if something has actually broke.

SuperTech

Yes we definitely want to check any of the older systems under a heat load, especially R22 systems. I just want to have work to do this spring. I've not come anywhere close to 40 hours in the last month. I was out sick for a week last month with what I think was the coronavirus. I'm not worried about getting sick again, I'm pretty sure with some common sense precautions I won't pose any risk to anyone by going in the house and going to the attic to service the air handler.

STEVEusaPA

mattmia2 said:

STEVEusaPA said:

It PA we're essential. So is the beer distributor, but probably because they are the #1 retailer of state lottery tickets.

I dont think we want to find out what would happen if people are trapped at home with their families and the liquor stores are closed.

That’s just beer/wine. In PA, the good stuff is sold at state stores, which are closed.

SuperTech said:

Even last week before the stay at home order I was wearing gloves in every house, and facemasks. It's hurting business. I'm concerned that homeowners won't have their A/C maintenance done this spring. Then of course everyone will change their mind about having a service tech over when it's hot out and the A/C doesn't work. It happens every year, this year will probably be worse than usual.

Because I pretty much only do oil I always wear gloves. I’m not wearing a mask unless it’s a pretty sootie soot sucking operation.
There’s over 500k people in my county and only 33 confirmed, no deaths.
Looks like a lot of OT in the summer for you AC guys, and higher prices.

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes

We just made the decision not to leave home. No service calls, no shopping, no outdoor activity other than gardening in the backyard, away from the street where neighbors walk by and may want to start up a conversation.

It's too risky for me and my wife to go out. We are both in our sixties, prime for bad results.

Good luck to all my friends out there. We will see you on the other side.

Merigouldi

Your state should have a list of what they deem essential business. See if your company falls under that list.

Jamie Hall

Seems to me, after reading a good deal (in reliable sources) that this corona virus -- like most corona and influenza type viruses -- will get you, sooner or later, unless you can manage to completely self-isolate until a reliable vaccine is developed and then get the vaccine. Say two or three years.

Something to think about...

The Steam Whisperer

As I understand it, the main reason for isolation orders and precautions is to slow the spread so the medical facilities can handle the cases, not to stop the infections altogether. It appears, however, that it is too late for that, the number of cases has far outpaced the ability of the health care system to respond to the numbers in an ordered and scientific manner. Without enough testing kits, they can't track sources accurately to slow the tide. The lack of any real federal response even now is pretty scary. States by themselves can't slow transmission across state lines unless they can lock down their borders, which I don't think they can. I think we are just at the beginning of the bell curve. Thank God it looks like they may have found a treatment.

HVACNUT

Well today is Sunday. And Sunday is sauce day at my house.
My son says he NEEDS to make garlic bread. But as much as it pains me, we must go without it tonight.
Its things like that that will get you. Drive to the bakery for a loaf? It's a highly touted want, not a need. He only has his driving permit so he cant drive himself. And I wouldn't let him if he could.

Besides, we have a nice big block of Pecorino Romano to slice and swipe.
It's all about sacrifice is the moral.

JUGHNE

Out here in the middle of nowhere, we have a small grocery store. It is pretty well stocked. The only nearly bare shelf is the TP one. There is one 6-pack of TP sitting there .......has been all week.....no one wants to take the last pack. The store started to limit people to one pack as soon as the TP panic started.

hot_rod

Businesses are stepping up and offering both curbside and home delivery. O-Reilly Auto, based out of Missouri near me, is offering parts delivery no charge. I'll certainly take advantage of those services as well as GoToMeeting to carry on for the next month or so.

SlamDunk

The post mortem of this experience will be fascinating.

Fred

I think this store in Denmark got it right. This would work for TP as well. One bottle of sanitizer for $4.09, two bottles for $95.00.

https://9gag.com/gag/aqgwO3Q?ref=fb.s.mw&fbclid=IwAR27iUwuc0Z95SoIklA-w0jf8sN7yzv7IiwNkAx0alVwzgCNLPXji0lDFfQ

Jamie Hall

I seriously question the validity or need of testing "everyone" who has -- or thinks they have -- or has the money. What for? If you have symptoms and test positive, you have already been contagious for a week or so. Perhaps more to the point -- what is the medical system supposed to do? True, in some areas it is overwhelmed by the number of cases, but... there is no cure at this time. Those who really need ventilators or more extreme therapy will, likely, get it. I can see the point -- up to a point -- of asking folks who are very much at risk -- a class of people actually rather easily defined -- to self-isolate. I can also see the point in closing facilities such as schools for a short time, to flatten the curve of demand. But closing everything down? Indefinitely? It makes for good headlines -- some politicians are making hay out of that -- and it scares people silly and it will ruin a very large number of small businesses, not to mention the millions of self-employed who no longer have income -- but will it keep people from catching the disease? No. So buckle up, take reasonable precautions, and carry on. If you are actually sick, stay home -- but you should do that anyway, whether it's Covid-19 or the common cold. If you are a client or consumer and you are actually sick, tell anyone whom you ask to come work at your place, and let them decide whether or not to come. But again, you should do that anyway.

Big brother is not going to wave a magic wand -- or a draconian lockdown -- and save you. Not going to happen. Sorry.

HVACNUT

> @SlamDunk said:
> The post mortem of this experience will be fascinating.

Send me a note and let me know how it works out for you.

Fred

The Governor of Ohio just placed our state on a "Stay at Home"
/ "Shelter in Place" order until April 6th, at which time the situation will be re-evaluated. This applies to all non-essential operations which the state says they have listed on their website.

hot_rod

At this point it seems the authorities will tend to over-react instead of taking the wrath of looking like they are not doing enough.

Germany was able to produce and ship 1.4 million tests by the end of February.

Whether the tests are required, or even useful for everyone or not, to the public it has the appearance of the authorities reacting quickly and trying to get ahead.

In them US we have yet to test 200,000.

Until a drug of vaccine is available some action needs to be taken. If month of lockdown does in fact help change the curve, it will be seen as the best course of action.

Plenty of armchair experts in the U.S. and on the news these days. Even the millions of beachgoers seem to think they know better

HVACNUT

I even went as far as to tell my wife, if I'm needed to repopulate the world, who am I to deny God's will?

ChrisJ

@Jamie Hall

Are you familiar with what took place in 1918 and the reasons why?

No one had immunity to that virus and the causes of death were believed to be from immune systems over reacting......

The same thing is going on now.


Not only that we see what happened to several other countries that got it before is and did nothing and it's not good.

Jamie Hall

Yes, @ChrisJ , I'm familiar with the Spanish Flu. In fact, I have a great aunt who died of it. I'm familiar with TB; I had another great aunt who died of that. I'm also familiar with polio. My mother had it, but survived, if crippled.

And I have observed what is happening in Italy and Spain, which have lockdowns (much more draconian than ours) and where cases are skyrocketing.

When I got back from being in country, sixty years ago now, I figured that anything else was a bonus. Will I get Covid-19? I might; I might very well. Will I die from it? I might. I'm 80 and have smoked two to three packs a day up until recently. Am I afraid of that? No. I'd rather go on for a bit longer, but I'm going sometime anyway. Am I taking sensible precautions? Yes. Am I cowering in my back room? Not no, but H__LL NO.

Of course when our esteemed Governor institutes fines for people who violate his rules -- which is coming (it's already there in Canada and several European countries) -- I'll stay on my property. No sense in enriching the government.

In fact, I'll say this: if you are willing to sacrifice your freedom because you are afraid, you deserve to lose it.

DOL

ChrisJ

> @Jamie Hall said:
> Yes, @ChrisJ , I'm familiar with the Spanish Flu. In fact, I have a great aunt who died of it. I'm familiar with TB; I had another great aunt who died of that. I'm also familiar with polio. My mother had it, but survived, if crippled.
>
> And I have observed what is happening in Italy and Spain, which have lockdowns (much more draconian than ours) and where cases are skyrocketing.
>
> When I got back from being in country, sixty years ago now, I figured that anything else was a bonus. Will I get Covid-19? I might; I might very well. Will I die from it? I might. I'm 80 and have smoked two to three packs a day up until recently. Am I afraid of that? No. I'd rather go on for a bit longer, but I'm going sometime anyway. Am I taking sensible precautions? Yes. Am I cowering in my back room? Not no, but H__LL NO.
>
> Of course when our esteemed Governor institutes fines for people who violate his rules -- which is coming (it's already there in Canada and several European countries) -- I'll stay on my property. No sense in enriching the government.
>
> In fact, I'll say this: if you are willing to sacrifice your freedom because you are afraid, you deserve to lose it.
>
> DOL

It's not about being afraid, it's about not spreading something that has a 2 week Incubation period and overwhelming the hospitals.

I'm not sure what you don't get about that.

The Steam Whisperer

I believe the primary need of the test kits is to be able to track where the infection is coming from...it really has nothing to do with the care of the sick. If they can tell who actually has the virus they can trace back to find likely infection sites and address those sites and the people that have been in contact at those sites.
I wonder what people were saying when the Spanish Flu started...Fake news? Between 20 million and 100 million deaths later as governments tried to hide its impact during the WWI, a lesson was taught. To translate that into todays's world population, that would be between 84 Million and 420 million deaths. Our healthcare systems are much more advanced now, but that won't do any good if the systems are overwhelmed. To bring it even closer to home that's about 1/4 of the US population to well over the complete US population. ( I believe the losses in the US population were over 600,000 people from 1918 to 1920)

ChrisJ

> @The Steam Whisperer said:
> I believe the primary need of the test kits is to be able to track where the infection is coming from...it really has nothing to do with the care of the sick. If they can tell who actually has the virus they can trace back to find likely infection sites and address those sites and the people that have been in contact at those sites.
> I wonder what people were saying when the Spanish Flu started...Fake news? Between 20 million and 100 million deaths later as governments tried to hide its impact during the WWI, a lesson was taught. To translate that into todays's world population, that would be between 84 Million and 420 million deaths. Our healthcare systems are much more advanced now, but that won't do any good if the systems are overwhelmed. To bring it even closer to home that's about 1/4 of the US population to well over the complete US population. ( I believe the losses in the US population were over 600,000 people from 1918 to 1920)

Unfortunately we have a large percentage of people that do not understand what is going on and want history to repeat it self....

The Steam Whisperer

A lot of the need to shelter in place is to help protect the lives of those that still need to go to work to ensure that food is available, the electricity is on and our homes are heated and safe. I don't want any of my guys or any other tradesmen getting sick because someone decided to go out and do whatever they pleased and then needs services and infects an innocent person working to protect the health and safety of our country and world.