Clean & Checks

Cheeze-Tech

I know that this is probably a loaded question/thread but I've got to ask it anyway. What timeframe do you guys spend on a clean and check (A/C, furnace, boiler)? What do you do on a clean and check? Obviously A/C's are my main concern right now. This question was sparked by the fact that I have just started a new job. My boss tells me he figures an hour per call (this includes service calls I believe). My 8.5 years experience does not line up with this. When I was talking with him about the job originally he said he charged $X per call. That is about $38 more than the hourly rate at my last job, but I assumed that was figuring 1-1.5 hours per job. With a two hour call he says to bill 2x$X. That coupled with some other things he has said make me feel like I'm supposed to be fleecing the customers. You can only do so much in an hour can't you?

don_9

cleaning

Tom,For me on the ac side it usally take about two hours per cleaning.it all depends if it gets service once a
year or its never had service.I am on the high side when it come to a cleaning,but then again I am not just banging a wrench on the side of the equipment. ac cleaning and
service for 49.95 I dont think so but then there or those
who looks at the bottom line.
coils,drain pans,blower motor, blower wheel,checking filter,
checking safety, checking charge,superheat ,subcool,delta T
drain lines, traps,now if he still insist on doing it and a hour maybe you can take him on your next cleaning so he might see past the nose on his face. good luck, don

Alan R. Mercurio

My 2 cents or should I say 50 cents

Hi Tom, I found that the time can vary but not very often have I see one that can be serviced/cleaned in 1 HR. There are exceptions but again in my opinion that's rare.

Here was the procedure I had when I was a service manager active in the field. I hope you don't mind the tutorial on clean&service it was just easier to respond to you in a timely manner with material I already had prepared for the training I provide. (yes that was a shameless plug) If I can ever be of any help to you please don't ever hesitate to e-mail questions to me.

When I arrive on an annual tune-up if the customer is present I first ask how the system has been running and are there any concerns that they would like addressed while I am there. After this I proceed to the heating system. I simulate a call for heat and listen to the operation
of the system. This way if you hear anything that sounds out of place you can bring it to the owners attention before the finger gets pointed at you.

The next thing I do is to remove the nozzle line from the tray assembly and connect my fuel gauge. I then run the unit to ensure that it is operating at the proper pump pressure. at the same time I am timing the safety of the primary control to make sure it locks out within the
acceptable time frame. Now once it locks out I take notice to the cut off pressure on my fuel gauge. It should not be less than 80% of the operating pressure. I leave my gauge connected to make sure this does not drop either

Now I am ready to remove the tray assembly and shine a light down the blast tube (air tube) and make sure the head or end cone are in good condition I then take the tray assembly out to my van where I will inspect the porcelains electrodes ect, before leaving the boiler room or furnace room I note what type of fuel filter, fuel pump strainer and air filter I may need to return with.

Once I return I install the tray assembly replace the strainer & filter as necessary make sure the burner housing is clean and the blower and air band are free of any dust, animal hair ect, when replacing the fuel filter this is a great opportunity to check the condition of the fuel tank, tank valve and tank legs. (Remember we are the eyes and ears of the system while we are on site!) once this is done I'll be ready to bleed the fuel pump, I look at the cut off pressure one more time to make sure it has not dropped. Now I am ready to move on to the flue passages and the flue pipe.

Next I brush and vacuum both the flues and the flue pipe. Inspect for cracks,pitting or any other damage on the heat exchanger of a furnace on a boiler I look for similar ware and tare or damge an important thing to check on a sectional boiler is between the sections are they sealed or can you see between them? I would also making sure the base of the chimney is clear and that the chimney is in fact in good operating condition. If it seems necessary I remove the burner and clean out the combustion area as well.

Now I oil the circulator or blower motor and burner motor. Then I clean everything up. Even if I did not make the mess I make a point of cleaning the entire area say three feet around the boiler. I own it until I leave.

Now we are ready for a combustion analysis test. I look to come within manufactures recommendations I first take draft reading Next is our Smoke test looking for a 0 to Trace. Now the Co2 level in most cases I am looking for no higher than a 12% Now the stack temp, on a new system I don't look for more than 350 - 400 degrees. with an old system we could see this go between 500 - 600 Degrees.(Dans dead men installed them)

Now the Co2 and the temperature will give you your operating efficiency. Please note when considering your stack temp you want to subtract the room temp from the actual stack temp.

I Log all the data in a systems booklet that is left with the system, including any parts that have been replaced or changes that were made.

Also if you have an old type expansion tank and it needs to be drained I would have started this upon arrival so it would be drained by the time I was ready to leave.

Now if the customer is there I ask them once again if they have any questions I then thank them for doing business with our company! Move on to my next call. this job would have taken typically about 1and a 1/2 to 2 hrs. if a system had not been cleaned in over 3 or 4 years you could find yourself there for 3 to 4 hrs.

I hope this has been helpful to you.

Your friend in the industry,
Alan R. Mercurio

www.oiltechtalk.com

Cheeze-Tech

Get this...

today they scheduled me for three a/c clean and checks for the morning: 8:30, 9:30, & 10:30. Luckly the first two were close together, but I had to clean one dirty cond. coil and add a little R-22 to both. I got to my third one only an hour late. Probably could have cleaned the cond coil on the second one but I had to make up time somewhere. The second two calls were also to check the furnaces. Luckly the first second one didn't ask and I didn't offer. The last one had an appointment elsewhere, so I rescheduled the furnace part. The kicker is when I asked the secretary how I was to check the furnace also in the same hour. She said just check the ignitor and dust off the furnace, the customer just wants to know you did something. I think this may not be the right job for me!
Thank don and Alan for you input!!

Cheeze-Tech

Get this...

today they scheduled me for three a/c clean and checks for the morning: 8:30, 9:30, & 10:30. Luckly the first two were close together, but I had to clean one dirty cond. coil and add a little R-22 to both. I got to my third one only an hour late. Probably could have cleaned the cond coil on the second one but I had to make up time somewhere. The second two calls were also to check the furnaces. Luckly the second one didn't ask and I didn't offer. The last one had an appointment elsewhere by the time I finished with the A/C, so I rescheduled the furnace part. The kicker is when I asked the secretary how I was to check the furnace also in the same hour. She said just check the ignitor and dust off the furnace, the customer just wants to know you did something. I think this may not be the right job for me!
Thank don and Alan for you input!!

Mike Kraft

As usual.........

Alan cruises the net boards.This man is truely devoted to his industry and is quite generous with his time and responses.Alan Thanks for what you do!

cheese

Andy Michl_2

I worked for a few different companys before going on my own and there was a night and day difference between some of them. Some are selling clean and checks dirt cheap to get into the door but really nail the customers for new parts that they tell the customers are bad. While others do just as Alan discussed and really provide a good service to the consumer. You may find that asking your service manager for a list like Alans will give you a better idea of what's expected of you in the feild. You do need to give them time to react and not insist on change in a week. try to be part of the solution not the problem. Hope this helps. PS good customer service will get you alot of postive attention from your company. When customers call and tell your boss what a great job you did it gets your company more customers and you raises! Stick with it and keep a positive attitude. Remember it is not what you say BUT how you say it!

Alan R. Mercurio

Aww Shucks

You're welcome cheese and thanks for the kind words brother.

Your friend in the industry,
Alan R. Mercurio

Alan R. Mercurio

You're welcome

Tomtom, You said (I think this may not be the right job for me!)Well I beg to differ my friend. In my opinion the fact that you ask questions and that you have shown concern for the situation speaks volumes. It's clear you're the type of professional our industry needs out there.

Handling the situation as suggested by Andy in the post above I believe is some excelent advice.

Keep up the good work dude.

Your friend in the industry,
Alan R. Mercurio