Time for everyone to weigh in.......

J.C.A._3

Dan isn't saying anything because......

#1 His license number is 1,#2, He was front and center when they needed heat for the last supper, #3 the Romans called him when they wanted to increase their hot water supply . The list goes on....but you get the idea. Chris

Paul Rohrs

The beauty of this site

Is especially for the people with 1 year experience to learn from the people with more experience.

A few years ago when I was talking with and older contractor whom my company services , we had a 20-minute conversation about hydronics. In that time I had gleaned about 40 minutes worth of information. That conversation still pales in comparison to what this site is about.

PR

Leo

Only a few years

My life went in a circle. I have been with an oil company for seven years. As a youngster I hung out at the local garage and spent a lot of time riding in their oil truck. In HS I worked for a company that serviced air compressors. Then the Marine Corps twenty two years as a police officer then oil burner school. From there it has been all aspects of heating and now AC. It is a constant learning process, I hardly post on this site cause I spend too much time reading info from those with so much more bckground.
Leo

Glen

a bunch -

started in construction right after high school, plumbing apprenticehsip just sort of happened! - finished the apprenticeship in 1980, It's been a very consistent learning curve from the git go. Don't do much plumbing anymore - lots of boilers, HW and steam, controls etc. Total of 28 years - and still loving it!

mp1969

Special

We get to work with,protect and find new ways to use our planet's most precious resource. Who says this industry isn't exciting??? A special group indeed!

MP 1969

PS We all started at one time with no experience, experience like age comes by itself if you stay at task!


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Alaska Joe

a few.....

took over a family operated business (since 46') over a decade ago, we have a longer than mormal heating season where I work. Survived a few record -65F spells that lasted a few weeks throughout the interior, ice fog that shut everything down for days, and couldn't find enough copper repair couplers on anybodies shelves. Had to leave the trucks running non-stop for days to ensure that they would run, and made -45F runs in the middle of the night 200 miles to the border to ensure our border guards had a place to live.... Alaska, if you don't have heat and water, get yer bags packed quick!

JohnNY

Youngsters

I haven't read many of the other posts but, conservatively, I'm in my 21st year in the trade at 34 years of age. Pop started Gateway Plumbing and Heating in 1976. I was going to say I think I'm one of the younger ones on the board, but now I'm not sure that's true. I think I just started younger than most.

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Art Pittaway

Add another 21+

Started working on mechanical things with my Dad. Worn a number of different hats, and still ware at least two. Officially I started with SARCO in the early 80's and saw steam from vapor to power plants. Then hydronics with B&G. Now it's controls and valves with INVENSYS (Barber-Coleman). Now I also teach, what a treat.

[Deleted User]

June, 1959.

heatpup

just installing my own system....4 years of reading how to do it

any advice?

Warmfoot

Now that I think about it.....

I have been doing this for about 13 years now. I was a plumbing apprentice for about a year and a half, then fell into hydronics through a friend of mine....been doing it ever since. Worked for a manufacturer for about five years inbetween and went back to contracting because I saw a lack of experienced installation companies. Best thing I ever did!! I love this industry!!

Ernie Bogue

Master Hydronics LLC

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Jerry Boulanger_2

2 years in tech. college and 28

years in business.

RB_2

1976 was my first \"official\" job on a construction site...

Most memorable moment...got caught without my tool belt...you know what a tradesman is without his tool belt...a laborer...herein lesson learned...first and last time I'll ever get caught without having the hand or mind tools to do the project.
rb

munchkin-man

I am felling very old 31 years in this trade

OK I will fess up. The truth. I bet this is a dido story. My dad was the cofounder of Burner Parts Inc of North Providence RI. I would take the fuel oil nozzels and build pyramids with them at seven, and ask, DAD what are these things in the round red plastic tubes that smell bad for? (Delevan Nozzels) He would reply, you will see some day son. Time went on and to high school I went. I started out as a punk kid who thought he new it all. I did not want to be in school. I thought it was a waste of time. I wanted to make money and do what I wanted to do. I told my dad I am quiting school at sixteen at the end of 9th grade, and going to go make money so I can do what I want to do. Well he was furious. The threats came on, and the you will be sorry son approach was attempted. (I did it anyway.) DUMMY. Ha, try to find a job without any know how. OK I will sit behind this machine, and push this fitting into a block of metal with straps attached to my wrist to prevent me from putting my hands in to the press when I push the RED switch. This strap thing is dumb!!! I do not know what this part is used for, but I am going to do it for 7$ per hour and compete with all the drug users and loosers of the area. Heck,Smith better than listening to that dumb teacher who has not got a clue??? So no money, no future and luckily a dad who knows what I am going through. Another know it all kid.
One morning!! Rise and shine know it all. Any hair on your chest yet? Son you are going to work today at your dead end looser job, it is Friday. Tell your boss you will not be back. You are comming to work with me on Monday. I am going to teach you a trade if I have to chain you to the desk. OK dad whatever!! Monday, to work with dad I go. Wow this is what you do, sell this equipment to heating guys and plumbers. How did you learn this. Son get a clue. OK DAD. Time went on and my dad with his vision and WISDOM, put me on the right track to the road I was to travel down. What a road, with it's twist,turns, deadends, and untraveled surfaces and, uncharted journeys. This has been an addventurious road that has turned into a super highway.
Remember you have to earn the title DAD. Anyone can be a Father, but not all can be a DAD. So to make this long story short. I am gratefull, humbel and remember, your best friend will only come but a few times. DAD and WIFE and if you are real maybe a true long time friend,, if you are as fortunate as I. Enjoy the trade. I have found many nice people here on this site. Dan what a vison you have and I bet you are a wounderful DAD and a bunch of other great things. OH a great boss is hard to come by. When you get one, do not take this person for granted especially if this person believes in you, believe in the the person who believes in you Dave. One of the things I have found in life is believe in yourself and life will believe in you. Worry not about the money but in your self and the future the money will come. jc

Ben_3

9 years

I started out as a punk kid on the edge of being kicked out of school and the juvenile justice system trying to make me a ward of the court for many various reasons. But there was just one problem, I was considered to be gifted smart and nobody wanted to see me waste away in juvy. I was givin one last chance to change my ways. Then I met her in my autos class, she had taken it looking for an easy credit since it was well known the teacher would always pass the girls no matter what. I was in love and at the age of seventeen found out that I was also going to be a Dad. Being adopted myself at birth I was not going to let that be the fate of my child. I rented an apartment worked two jobs supported my daughter with the help of my wife, then my girlfriend, and we both finshed high school. But what now, I turned to my friend and autos teacher/gen. contractor for advise. He told me with my mech. ability and natural ability to absorb info that Hvac was the place to be, being a general contractor, he knew that a great living could be made. I didn't listen at first and wasted my time for a few months installing windows and printing 3rd shift 12 hrs a day, seven days a week. That was it I was going to school, I enrolled at Universal Technical Institute. Thanks to grants and financial aid, being 18 with a child makes it possible to go to school for a lot less, I started my career. I graduated one year later with an assoc. degree, a 4.0 gpa and the honor of being the only peer tutor for over 600 students and got paid for it no less. I started my first job at a small service shop 2 days after graduation, WE serviced the larged mansions outside of chicago down the ghettos within the city. Within 3 weeks I was givin my first truck, and night list duties. Being the low man my first traing came in the poorest areas where nothing was maintained or done correctly and 75% was steam and hot water. This is when I met Dan, but not in person, through his wonderful books. Finally I had some answers to the many questions that I had, ones I knew were the right answers since no one else not even the old timers at the shop could truly answer why or how these old sytems were supposed to work. I bought them all and commited them to memory. It was at this point I saw that the company I was with didn't do things right and I was constantly covering up for it and not advancing in pay comparable to my abilities solely because of my age. At 21 and now with 2 kids I left fot Chicago's North shore where I wnet in on the ground level of a company to build them a service dept. 95% of our work was hot water and steam from residential up to large commercial steam heated apt. buildings. With in three years we had over 30 employees and I taught electricity once a week as well as hand trained most of them in steam and h2o. But once again I saw my income was topped out and a boss that was greedy, even after the sweat blood tears and 80 hour weeks I put in. Watching the service dept grow from 1 tech, me, to running the dept. and having 10 guys that ran service every day. I would get calls at home in the middle of the night from guys asking for help and never once would I turn them down. But the stress and commitment was not worth the pay and the owner was not going to pay more. So I left and went to the union where I have been for the last 3 years as a foreman that makes $2 over scale, oh yah I almost forgot to mention that by this time my kid count is up to 4, yes 4, and no my T.V. is not broken! I also run my own little side buisness taking care of some customers the will trust no one else and offering aid to many of the close friends that I have trained in the past and now run their own companys. But if it wasn't for Dan's books and the knowledge that took from them I wouldn't be where I am today. If you know it you own it!!! Wow! what power. I will be 27 this January 2. I have been doing this for almost 9 years now but my knowledge and drive to be the best in this trade that I love surpasses that of my age. I havent't had a challenge or problem that I have backed down from, in fact those are the ones that are the most fun, the ones every one else runs away from. The best part however is helping people. That is the greatest satisfaction, knowing that you can create and maintain comfort and those that you do it for offer you something not comparable to your service rate, sincere appreciation for taking the time to care. Thanks Dan for all that you have givin and continue to give. It has enabled me to support my 4 kids and lovely wife of now 8 years, buy a home for my family, etc. I'm sorry for this long winded story. But I offer my assitance to any in the Chicago area, I may be young but I own what I know, and never back down.

Ben_3

9 years

Sizzle

40 years now

Tech school 3 years then construction aprentice refrigeration mechanic 1963 paid 0.79$ per hour canadian money 1964 hired by Gas Company in Montreal 1976 start on my own as contractor mostly involved with commercial gas fired equipement and hydronic heating now 60 years old and still there 40 years all together.
Serge

jerry gorski

weighin in at 42yrs

graduated a/c and refrig.school in Navy in 1962.worked all phases of hvac from mech.contractor to mnfg.to distributor.i've always said I would quit when I got bored,and i'm still here.would like to hear from people with similar background in distribution and compare notes.Am currently working with a great wethead distributor in chicago area.

Rudy

Life is a work in progress

OK, OK... I'll do it, hope I don't bore you...

First started working on hydronics and refrigeration in 1978. So that'd be 25 years.

Age 14: Helped older bro doing roofing jobs.

Age 15: Assembled bicycles, engraved trophies, stocked shelves in retail store. Needed cool clothes, not that Sears & Roebuck stuff my well-meaning parents bought.

Age 16: Equipment operator at metal recovery operation in the blazing summer sun. Fork lifts, dump truck. Rube Golberg system of shears, belts, drums, presses. Dirty dangerous stuff, but got out alive with all my fingers and toes.


Age 17: Assistant ranger and counselor at Boy Scout Adirondack summer camp. Fixed stuff. Blazed trails. Set up first year of camp: tent platforms, docks, obstacle courses, you name it,lots of log and lashing construction. Romanced girls at nearby girls camp. Swatted blackflies.

Age 18 to 19 First try at college. Too much fun. Real biology is too much bookwork. What's the meaning of life?

Age 19 to 23: Beneath the Wheel as a commercial and residential glazier, worked for a guy with 35+ years in the trade. Everything form plate glass, storm doors & screens, mirrored walls, heavy equipment glass, to stained glass church windows. School and bar window repair on Monday mornings. Lots of drinking and carousing on the side - a real learning experience!

Age 24 to 26: Engineering company fish population survey: Crew chief of a converted lobster boat; booms and winches - dragging trawl nets sampling fish populations and dodging tankers on the Mighty Hudson River. Beach seines, gill nets, benthic sleds, trap nets, water chemistry, equipment repair.

Age 27: Another shot at glazing. Burned out quickly.

Age 28 to 35: Commercial hotel and commercial kitchen equipment maintenance, refrigeration, with Victorian building restoration thrown in. Partied my **** off in a summer tourist town - Cape May NJ.

Age 35 to 40: Second shot at college - on my dime. Electrical engineering too theoretical. Elecronic Engineering Technology much more nuts&bolts & hands-on. Worked at solar hot water heating as well as hydronics and forced air for a non-profit company involved in heating research and studies.

Age 40 to 43: Worked as an engineer at Loral Command & Control. Not quite a rocket scientist, but if I told you, I'd have to kill you.

Age 43 to 44: Life changing experience led me back to trades - worked odd construction jobs including concrete work, framing, and log homes.

Age 45 to 50: Started hydronic heating company. Had a good run at it and developed good reputation and a lot of respect here in Teller County, but couldn't keep a handle on the business end of things.

Age 50 to present: Went from Building Equipment Mechanic to Mail Processing Equipment Mechanic to Electronic Technician for the United States Postal Service. Complex computer driven machines and networks too. Learning a lot here!

I've never really had a career, just a series of jobs... I got bored too easily -especially in my younger days- doing the same thing all the time. Throughout the work life described above runs a thread of love of the outdoors, romance, and an unending curiosity in the miracle of life and the complexity of human beings. Yee-hah!

Big Ed

Longer then Dirt

Twenty Eight years on my own plus a extra 6 years as a helper while I was a kid helping my Dad, Grand Dad and Uncle

Mad Dog

This is for Ben, 9 Years........................................

long-winded story????it gave me and I'm sure, Dan, goosebumps. Keep goin' kid, a guy like you is gonna go reeeeel far in the biz....I know the union gig is very secure, but you really should make plans to start your own thing (been there,...doin that now) I like your attitude - reminds me of myself.....always bite off more than I can chew, but I NEVER stop biting and I ALWAYS finsh me meal. You are a post-modern day success story...keep marching! Mad Dog

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Ben_3

Mad Dog

Thank you for the kind words. One thing I have come to realize now is that time is my friend not my foe. I hope to be full time on my own before thirty. A few more minor goals I want to achieve first before taking the plunge. But as soon as I have those pieces in place for my family that is where I want to be. Thanks again