heating comfort vs. flame heads

Gordo

I was at a customer's house yesterday. He called us to "clean and check" his "furnace". I arrived and found an old coal-to-oil conversion hot water boiler. Not being an oil heat tech, I reluctantly informed the customer that he needed to call his oil heat supplier to perform this task, and the customer then realized he had called the wrong Co. But wait...I then asked the customer how his radiators were heating (I had noticed 0 psi on the pressure gauge). He replied that only three of his 10 radiators were heating and it had been that way for 20+ years. Every year for 20+ years, this poor fellow has had his oil co. clean and check his furnace- the tags and lables were all there- and not once did any of these flame-heads ask how the system was working. When I left yesterday, ALL his radiators were nice and warm. I left with mixed feelings; satisfaction that I did a good job, and sadness and anger at others' poor service.

Steamhead

Unfortunately

that happens all too often, Gord. BTW- long time no see here!

I look at this in sort of the same way I do with steam: It's possible for a person to be a really great plumber or hot-water man but not know much about steam. Similarly, it's possible to know oil burners extremely well but not know much about getting the heat from the boiler to the rooms.

The things I'd fault those oil techs on are not checking the gauge and not asking the customer if he is comfortable. These would have uncovered the problem.

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Bill NTSG

It is .........

sometimes called tunnel vision. And please do not lump all of the oil companies into the same category. Some times the lower priced guy may have been beaten by his boss into doing X number of cleanings per day. Maybe he was told "not to touch nothing". Maybe just lazy.

On the other hand, there are the contractors[most every one that comes here to learn] that offer value added service and fix or repair or at least point out the problems to the consumer.

It is beyond me how people can settle for stuff being messed up for 20 yrs. Time to change oil companies. The days of doing the minimum are over. Value added service always wins out in the long run.

I have worked for some of "the better" oil companies and the service and the techs were the best to be found. O f course they sold out to a consolidator and every one good left.

Now I work for a low bidder, low baller contractor and some of the stuff I do I am absolutely ashamed of. I never will leave anything life threatening but all too often I "do as I am told".

Unknown

Bill,

How is it that you manage to stay interested enough to be reading The Wall?

If some of the stuff you are doing you are so absollutely ashamed of, why do you have do it that way? You know the difference between right & wrong. Does your employer know how you feel about cutting corners?

I've read some of your posts, you really know what you're doing. I think you should perhaps be working for another company or yourself.

It's allways been tough for me to "bend the knee" to those of us that don't allow me my freedom of expression in my work. Thats why I allways seem to make for a lousy employee.

He better be paying you the big bucks. Be proud of knowing the difference between the way your boss wants it done and the way it should be done.

John Felciano

Billy

Sorry to hear things aren't going well with the new company.You need to find someone who will appreciate your talent.

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Bill NTSG

John-Boy

This post really wasn't supposed to be about me, it is about cavemen who service oil heating equipment! I spent 6 hours servicing a Weil Maclain that was serviced every year by a heating guy. The M/M 67 blow down was so badly corroded it wouldn't even pass any water. The chamber had fallen in and the boiler was plugged solid. Two vacuum cleaner bags and a custom made poker outer later I got it opened up. The burner fan and housing were so loaded with sawdust [wood workers basement] and oil I thought I was cleaning a chainsaw.

The reason I was there was because this guy works with my brother.[the home owner] The fire department had to come to evacuate the smoke from the house.

I installed a chamber kit, did the tuneup, installed a Field inlet air kit and did a combustion test. In all the years the guy lived there he said no one ever did that. {combustion test!] The smoke pipe is a little funky and the regulator hangs up and the tee is in a bad place. I will go back next week to change the pipe and set the draft. The last guy told him to wedge it part open with a file because he said it would suck all of ther heat out of the basement.

The point is this guy had the equal opportunity to make these repairs and the homeowner would have gladly paid him. He has grandchildren in the house and is very particular about things , especialy safety.

I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but like Dan says, "In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is King".

About me , my job is convienient. I have a one and a half minute commute to work every day. I am home no later than 4:30 [unless scheduled shutdown, overtime]No on call,rarely a weekend. The guy is by no means a ****, just old fashioned and reluctant to change. I like gadgets, I like technology, I like to experiment, I love to learn, I love a challenge. I am a radiant believer, I will argue the case for pumping away to the day I die. [my boss won't pump away, my biggest source of contention]Heck even our hearts pump away!

So, since I am going to nite school this is not all that bad a job. I've settled for being home on time . I have tried the self employed and really think I could do it again successfuly but with all the homework I have I would probably neglect the paperwork involved with running a business. John, you live almost an hour from me. I would consider moving but my house is just too damn comfortable to give up.