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Comments

  • STEAM DOCTOR
    STEAM DOCTOR Member Posts: 2,107
    Never a good idea to have the unqualified "tinker" with something that can kill. 
    MaxMercyMad Dog_2EdTheHeaterMan
  • MaxMercy
    MaxMercy Member Posts: 518

    Never a good idea to have the unqualified "tinker" with something that can kill. 

    Well, they "fiddled" with it, but I guess tinkering is just as bad as fiddling, even if it's not as musical.

    I wonder if the fiddling or tinkering somehow bypassed a safety. That would require at least a basic understanding of the equipment.

    Mad Dog_2EdTheHeaterMan
  • Mad Dog_2
    Mad Dog_2 Member Posts: 7,399
    The Long Island 🏝 Electric League has a great Bumper Sticker : 
    "Wiring is no hobby..call a Licensed Electrician"  I've never been able to think up a just-as-clever catchphrase.  Mad Dog 🐕 
    MaxMercy
  • dko
    dko Member Posts: 668
    edited January 11
    Not enough qualified techs out there to serve everyone.

    So the question for this forum is:
    Is it better to have given an unqualified person proper information or not at all?
    Especially if this person was going at it regardless of if you had given them the information or not.
    EdTheHeaterManMikeAmann
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,215
    Which is why I always encourage folks to call a pro.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • WMno57
    WMno57 Member Posts: 1,408
    A tragedy, and although we don't know all the facts, probably preventable.
    My condolences to the family.
    I'm posting the home here, not to be disrespectful, but because many of us are visual thinkers and solve problems we can see.
    https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/357-Woodview-Ave-Spartanburg-SC-29306/11829154_zpid/
    Instead of speculating on DIYers skills or lack thereof, I'd like to challenge the contractors and small business owners here:
    • Would you service this home?
    • Would you service a home in a community of color?
    • Would you hire (and mentor) a young unskilled man from this community?
    • Would you donate work pro-bono to a family in need?
    Some of you already do. I'd like to challenge all of you to think about how you might be able to do more.
    Glenwood Fowler was 82. So born around 1942. 20 years old in 1962.
    In 1962, could young Glenwood or his parents have called any contractor in Spartanberg, South Carolina? Or would they have been limited to contractors on their side of the tracks? Were there any contractors on their side of the tracks? There may be long standing reasons why Mr. Fowler and his family DIY. Reasons that a lot of us haven't experienced.
    DIYers DIY for many different reasons. I DIY because I like to. I don't really care if some of you think I'm qualified or not. It's my house. Although Mr. Fowler and I had different means and backgrounds, I respect his family's right to DIY, whatever their reasons were. I'm saddened that it may have caused his death, and the death of his girlfriend.
    Some here do an outstanding job of sharing their knowledge. For the rest of us, let's try harder to share our knowledge.
    Larry WeingartendelcrossvOilfieldHippieethicalpaul
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,098
    @SlamDunk

    Good points. But some things scare me. I was in the electrical Isle at HD one day and a customer was talking to the HD guy. Wanted to hook up an electric stove. Wanted 'stove cable" breaker etc etc. The HD guy was asking him the right question and the customer had no clue what he needed or what he was doing. I figured that out after I heard 2 or 3 sentences.

    Was he working in his own house putting him & his family in danger?

    Or was it a 2 or 3 family so he could endanger others?

    There is DIY and there is DIY. I have nothing against DIY if the person doing it is aware of the hazards involved and has at least some knowledge of what he is doing.

    On the other hand, I know of a "service Tech" in the union that worked on an oil burner that was locking out. He couldn't fix it and after a couple of repeat calls he took the primary control off the burner and hot-wired the burner to run.

    This is why I have anxiety and can't sleep at night.
    ethicalpaulCLamb
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 10,377

    On the other hand, I know of a "service Tech" in the union that worked on an oil burner that was locking out. He couldn't fix it and after a couple of repeat calls he took the primary control off the burner and hot-wired the burner to run.

    The union can't protect you from manslaughter.
  • SlamDunk
    SlamDunk Member Posts: 1,639
    edited January 12
    I witness those conversations all the time.   Especially in the plumbing department.   If the big box stores dont lose sleep, why should you? 

    When you think about it, if you take away the freedom from people to do things themselves,
    regardless of the risks, the economy would suffer.   Lowes, home depot, autozone and all of their suppliers,  would suffer the loss of a revenue stream.   Then, our investments and 401k’s will suffer. 
     
  • realliveplumber
    realliveplumber Member Posts: 354
    Truly a tragedy. I cant imagine what the individual who tinkered with the furnace is feeling.

    Brings to mind an old saying. "A mans got to know his limitations"
    DJD775EBEBRATT-EdMaxMercypecmsg
  • MaxMercy
    MaxMercy Member Posts: 518

    Truly a tragedy. I cant imagine what the individual who tinkered with the furnace is feeling.

    There's always the possibility that the tinkering had nothing to do with the furnace runaway - at least I hope so. Nothing will restore the lives lost, and although at this point it seems unlikely, I'd feel better knowing that it was just some random coincidental accident.
  • TwoTones
    TwoTones Member Posts: 52
    I am one of the DIY homeowners who has completed several successful projects as a direct result of this forum.  I won’t start something unless I completely understand how something works and what needs to be done 100%.  Unfortunately some DIY people do not share this trait.
        That being said, this forum also is usually very good at advising me when I should call a pro. As a result, I have reduced the amount of times I need to call a pro for something very small that wastes everyone’s time and money.  I have also found try professionals as a result of this forum.  
        I hope people continue to offer advice on this forum because  it does help people, and the forum advises them when they are in over their head.  My 2 cents 
    CLamb
  • SgtMaj
    SgtMaj Member Posts: 77
    Obviously bypassed thermostat and thermal switch. Or not, but dang that’s sad.
  • kevinhoffman
    kevinhoffman Member Posts: 4
    This caught my eye , a few years back I was working in a "halfway house" funding was minimal to say the least , our gas furnace quit and I found it needed a thermo couple , the local supply house would not sell it to me for "safety reasons " my argument is that it is more unsafe to bypass it , it is something to think about