Emergency calls during snowstorms

Bill Nye_2

Lonely, I think you have it all wrong. I have been driving 3/4 or one ton chevy or GMC vans since 1978. With decent, I mean Good snow tires and all the weight I carry I pass everything including the plow truck. I have made it up hills 4 wheel drive vehicles have had to back down. No lie. Tires are the key, w/o them you wont go anywhere.



Bill Nye
Nye Plumbing & Heating LLC

Ken C.

When do you tell a customer \"no\"?

I started a new job recently and as luck would have it, my first weekend for taking emergency calls, we are forecasted for a blizzard with snow accumulation of 10 to 15 inches.

As you know, the rear wheel drive vans have poor traction in the snow. Some past employers wouldn't go out if there were more than a few inches of snow on the road, reasoning it wasn't worth risking an accident that could total a vehicle or put it out of commission for several days. Other employers were more hungry for work and would go out in all but the most severe conditions.

As for my current boss, he says to use my best judgement as far as when weather and road contions make it too risky to drive.

For those of you who do emergency plumbing and heating calls, when do you draw the line on not going on a call because of weather/road conditions?

And, more importantly, how do you explain it to a customer who doesn't want to hear, "Sorry, I can't come out." ?

David Sutton_6

taking care of the custermer

is important, but so is the life and well being of the service man,they should be told this at the time of the call and that as soon as conditions improve the tech will respond.i drove one time to call with 12" of snow still on the road and was told to go they had no heat, come to find out the custermer lied he had gurgling in his pipe and was worried he may loosse his heat and i told him that was not right and his reponce was oh well i'm paying you.i walked out the door doing nothing.... who realy cares?

Mitch_6

Define emergency

some people a running faucet is an emergency. Others with no heat will wait until the next morning it depends on the individual.

Depending on how bad the weather is sometimes the utilities or fire department will handle items like flooding, gas leaks or pilots out to buy you some time for the weather to clear.

Sunday in a snow storm like this if I had to go out they would have to pay double time for the time to clear the truck for driving, travel both ways and maybe a statement that they pay any damages to the truck while in rout, that statement usually helps the H.O. define if what they have is a "true" emergency or if they can wait.

Mitch S.

Ron Schroeder

Depends

For an emergency no heat I will try to make it in most conditions, installs and service work can always wait. Having said that I have driven 30 miles to find out I couldn't get down that last mile of substandard road.

Bill Nye_2

This morning

This morning I drove 28 miles to a customers house for a no heat. We installed a new boiler in Oct..

When I got home there is about 16" of snow on the ground. I find out they were resetting it for weeks !!! I don't get paid. My partner says it is under warranty and doesn't want to offend them because they have more work for him.

Plugged oil filter after a delivery. My partner was there last week and " messed with it " states the customer.

Why the Hell didn't you call me last week! I almost got in a couple accidents. Am I the only one who knows how to drive in the snow ?? I think people who plow snow should at least look before backing into a public highway. And I think people who drive five should stay home and the !@# &^%$ who stops in the middle of a hill for no reason needs to get punched. Road Rage ????????????


I'll teach these people . I shut off my phone, both the house and the cell. I'm not going back out side until Monday. Some one please have an adult beverage or two for me today, I don't drink.







Bill Nye
Nye Plumbing & Heating LLC

jim lockard

I ran

2 calls both close by, one for an old customer, one for a new one. both were willing to wait til tomorrow but the roads were ok so I went. Plus Its easier on me to do them now then tomorrow. J.Lockard

ed wallace

service call in snow storm

installed new over head oil line and snorkle gauge yesterday 11 pm last nite customer called no heat was there this am snorkle gauge pick up tube was colapsing where it bends added door spring to tube problem solved call was 25 miles away customer was happy i fixed the problem evev in the storm

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Empire_2

Service/emergency calls

I personally try to get to any call if possible, but when the weather is really bad I use my best judgment. If I get stuck, then I'm no good to any customer and I now need help getting the truck out of the snow. Visability is also a big factor. It's NOT worth it to chance anything that can get you hurt, cost you money, or Just piss you off because you should have went with your first impression. "Waite till it gets better!" Play it By Ear.

Bob W._3

Back when we used to have blizzards, and I worked for an REA, we used to team up with the county plows to get to customers who had lost power. Going out in storms was just part of the job.

oil-2-4-6-gas

for snow calls --if its not broken pipes --we wait
the customer agrees to and pays for the extended travel time / travel both ways/--after the storm stopped----
but most storms the main roads are cleaned up enough --in a few hours after the storm stopped --its not bad -i love driving in the snow so its ok for me --


i carry an 80# bag of calcium,and bags of sand i haven't been stuck where i couldn't get out yet

Boilerpro_3

Say,

> Lonely, I think you have it all wrong. I have

> been driving 3/4 or one ton chevy or GMC vans

> since 1978. With decent, I mean Good snow tires

> and all the weight I carry I pass everything

> including the plow truck. I have made it up hills

> 4 wheel drive vehicles have had to back down. No

> lie. Tires are the key, w/o them you wont go

> anywhere.

>

>

>

> Bill Nye Nye Plumbing & Heating

> LLC

Boilerpro_3

Say,

whose snows do you use for the big 245-75R -16 Load range E tires? I can't find any this big and heavy. You are right, really good snow and ice tires are the key. I have had them on several vehicles and can out brake, corner and handle almost anything better than the hotshots with four wheel drive trucks.
Take a look at the tirerack.com if you want to find some good current genration snows. These tires get better tration than the old snows with studs.

Boilerpro

hr

triage

or the doctors code of "First, do no harm."

Putting yourself or other at risk for a no heat call....?

In most cases the customer understands the conditions and hazard involved, and would be willing to wait till you can safely arrive.

Most homes can coast 12 hours or more if they keep doors closed.

Suppose the powerlines went down, what then. Doesn't matter how good your snow tires are in that case

hot rod

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Bill Nye_2

BP

Cooper tires. I think they are Coopers. Just did a thirty mile away call over the phone

OOPs not so fast, out the door I go. And there is a snow drift almost up to the drivers window of my van. I love my remote start.

Mitch_4

Its a judgement

I have driven in bad weather because I felt it was safe to do so, and declined whenI feel it is not.

I had a customer scream at me to get there, its my job. I calmly told her that it was unsafe, I couldn't see the van (12' from my window) in the driving sleet and snow. she was impossible to agree to waiting, so I calmly told her to come pick me up, and I will fix it. her response " I cant drive in this s**t, its too dangerous"

My point exactly. " told her she is 1st on the list when it lets up. Put it in perspective to her and she agreed.

Another rant is when they call for no heat and you say 1st thing in the am, then they call back saying I smell gas. Well that is n emergency call out and we have to respond if it is safe to drive...but we only shut the meter until the utility comes out and investigates...that really ticks em off. They think as long as you are here, you will fix it...nope.. Gas utility here finds leaks on existing installations,m writes the tag and you pay to repair.. The exception is if you do an install, you test and repair any leaks.

Its is about YOUR safety FIRST and FOREMOST!!

jrc2905

I put studded snow tires on my van and it has yet to have a problem in the snow.

Henry Patterson Karis HVAC

Studded snow tires

All the way around!! It's the ONLY way to go in snowprone places, and yes you can find 245/75-R16 E studded. I got mine on eBay and had them studded by a friend for the cost of a box of studs and a used air handler. This guy is great to deal with--if these don't keep you movin' nothing will!! http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/245-75-16-BRAND-NEW-MUDDERS-E-10-PLY_W0QQitemZ8037830226QQcategoryZ66474QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

D lux_2

put michlin M S on the

back e 350 last year I could go any place in the snow this spring same on front . thank goodness no big snow YET .

S Ebels

Cooper

Makes a knock off of the Blizzak in load range E for 16" wheels. I have a set on the Sprinter and they are great, lot's of sipping and slits in the tread for good traction on ice with wide grooves for snow and slush. The only problem I see with them is they make you a little over confident on ice and slush. They are so good that when you do lose it, you are truly in a world of hurt.