Co Testing Pros/Cons

CO Testing Biz? · December 2005

Hello Men,

We are thinking of opening a Co Testing firm. We were wondering what pit falls anyone have with this.We have Been in the P & H field over 23 years and we think a stand alone CO Testing firm will fly. Its scary thow with all the sue happy people he in RI. We have a man on board that was trained and cert. by Jim Davis. Could this new company make money on its own?

People just dont seem to care about this issue UNTIL something happens!!!

Thanks for your input, RF

[Deleted User] · November 2005

I think it could fly...

I know of a frim up in the mountians that advertises on the radio. I've never spoken to them, but all the advertising I hear, they must be doing something right. THey advertise year round, not just in the winter.

I'd like to try something like that in Denver if I could find the time to put it all together.

Here's something that you're more than welcome to use in your efforts.

ME

CO Testing Biz? · November 2005

Thanks Mark for your input. And your right it does take some time to get all the "ducks in a row". Were finding a middle ground approuch is best. In between the health issuess and fuel compusion.

Thanks again, Richard

jp_2 · November 2005

2100 deaths/yr

what is the number of deaths associated with home appliances?

I've tried to find this number with no luck. the numbers I find seem real low?

Mark Hunt · November 2005

CO death numbers

Probably the most frustrating thing that I have run into since I started testing for CO is the abysmal record keeping regarding CO.

For instance, if someone dies from CO poisoning due to having a generator in their home after a major natural disaster, the death is reported as "storm related". So it wasn't CO that killed a bunch of people after hurricane Katrina, it was hurricane Katrina.

CO poisoning is so easy to misdiagnose and so are CO deaths. If they aren't looking for CO, they won't find it. Insurance companies do not cover autopsies, so if great granny is found "at rest" some morning in January it would be checked off as "natural causes". And BTW, her two cats and a bird died the very same day. I didn't know that "natural causes" is contagious?!?!?!

When I see reports of 20 to 30 thousand people visiting hospitals for CO exposure, I have to wonder if the real number isn't more like 10 times that. As for the 2100 CO deaths per year, well that number too is just a guess. Perhaps it should be "Medical community IDENTIFIES 2100 CO deaths per year."

Use the Google news search and type in "Carbon Monoxide" as the key word. Your e-mail box will be slammed with stories from the States, Canada and nearly every other country in the world. Last year I gave up counting after 1500!

Mark H

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Mark Hunt · November 2005

Well

You have been taught by the best and that is a great place to start.

I know of a fellow that I met at one of Jim's classes that has started his own CO testing business. Last I heard from him things were going pretty well.

Your biggest hurdle will be getting John Q Public interested in the testing. We ran an ad in a local paper a few years ago and not one person called.

Word of mouth will bring in more work.

I may be preaching to the choir here, but test EVERYTHING. Make it a policy that your service techs test on the way in and on the way out. I've found more situations "by accident" and once the customer is alerted to the problem, they RARELY refuse the fix.

Make sure you list CO and combustion testing prominently in your advertising. Send out mailers to your existing customer base to make them aware of the service you offer. Perhaps an incentive like a "family discount" if they get some of their family members interested or even friends and neighbors.

You will have to saturate the community for some time before the phone just starts ringing.
Talk about CO and the danger it poses with everyone you meet. I am referred to as "the Co nut" by quite a few of the contractors I meet on job sites. My customers know about Co because I drill it into them. It's important.

If more contractors thought like you, there would be far fewer CO poisionings.

You are doing a good thing!

Mark H

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CO Testing Biz? · December 2005

Thanks, for your input Mark. RF

Mad Dog_2 · December 2005

ITs a great idea, JiM Davis Training is tops, and yes!

You are right: NO ONE cares until something happens. Ex. A long standing customer of ours had a steam boiler and large gas water heater venting into a clay chimney. Both units had Draft inducers on them. The hwh d.i. ran 24-7. Not the best set up, but it was working safely everytime I was there. One day I was there doing something else and I noticed that the hwh D.I. wasn't running anymore. I fired the steam boiler and sure enough, the flue from boiler spilled right out of the hwh flue. Immediately showed the homeowner and explained what needed to be done. Implored her to atleast get co detectors for every level! Weeks went by. She said her husband put it in and he would take care of it. Back there again same thing. 2 months went by. Some people are real stupid! We parted ways with them over something unethical and illegal they wanted us to do that had nothing to do with the CO problem. My last words to them were: "WE will not do any more work for you, but you HAD BETTER had that CO condition corrected before your family doesn't wake up some morning. You'd better open your eyes and read the paper ....CO deaths EVERY week.!" After my initial training with NCI and JIm Davis, I went out Gung-HO...bought 2 cases!!!! of CO Experts Detectors (THat was not cheap!) took out a ad in the local paper. that read "STOP!!!! The CO menace in your home....call......Triple Crown." Ran it for several weeks......nada!. Long story short...it took me 1 1/2 years to sell all the detectors. I have it advertised in our yellow book ad for the last 4 years - prominently. Most people looked at us like it was a gimmcik or sales job. WE had one jerk recently who had spillage in to the space that we pointed out. "That's ok he said.....I have a CO monitoir from Home depot here.....'but you have to fix the problem, sir, the co monitor is not going to correct the problem!......I'm not worried about it he said. -dope. In short, look at it as a nice niche that can be developed. Push it on every job sell it as part of every installation. I would NOT count on it to pay any bills on a regular basis...that could take years. Good Luck. Mad Dog

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Weezbo · December 2005

yah anything that doesnt jump off the page..

jump out and make googly eyes at people they dont even notice. in a way the constant bombardment of advertizement through every mind orrifice has basically left the American public enured from easing anything else into thier minds

people will in general put up with stuff until it becomes to be completely outside thier comfort zone.the problem with that type of behaviour though is when it comes to carbon monoxide, later can be , ....+

grave yard late.

Unknown · December 2005

I have been doing

CO testing for over 40 years both with a gas utility and on my own. I run training classes on combustion testing and CO issues along with all my other classes. My other classes versus combustion classes are on a ratio of 10 to 1. Ten attend all my other classes for every one interested in CO issues. We train trades people so even in that area there is very little interest. A recent post on another site said it this way "getting people other than oil customers to take an interest in having their heating system checked is a hard sell", what he was saying is that people with gas heating, water heating, clothes drying and cooking have been lulled into believing that gas burns clean so no need to have it tested. That has never been true.

Having said all that you may find it is a hard sell to the public and I would not give up your day job if you know what I mean. We all get excited about saving lives and that is a good thing, the next and most difficult step is convincing the public they might die.

We do however encourage you to join the rest of us in this effort to save people from the silent killer.

I attended a dinner the other evening put on by the Gas Networks here in New England. One of the presentations put on was by Bachrach about CO. Of the more than 200 people in attendance (utility and trades) less than 5% even test.

CO Testing Biz? · December 2005

Thats a great tude weezobo

CO Testing Biz? · December 2005

Thanks for all the inputs RF

David_5 · December 2005

I can't see it.

Most all of the replys seem to say this would be a hard way to make a living. Why would you want to make it separate from your other work? I do service in RI and I find no one interested in CO until I find a problem. I think CO testing belongs in with service work. Good luck.

David

CO Testing Biz? · December 2005

Dave thanks for the input.

However how many guys really know what their doing when they test. I mean come on "THIS IS RHODE ISLAND" I've worked as a service teck for some big name company's in this state and most of them don't even own a meter!!! And the one's that did just use it as a (show

. I realy belive a CO Testing & Boiler Cleanig biz will make it.

Granted its going to take a lot of money to get the name out thier but as you know anything can fly.Just look at all the money Buddy is still making on his sauce while he's in the Fed pen.

CO Testing Biz? · December 2005

Dave thanks for the input.

However how many guys really know what their doing when they test. I mean come on "THIS IS RHODE ISLAND" I've worked as a service teck for some big name company's in this state and most of them don't even own a meter!!! And the one's that did just use it as a (show

. I realy belive a CO Testing & Boiler Cleanig biz will make it.

Granted its going to take a lot of money to get the name out thier but as you know anything can fly.Just look at all the money Buddy is still making on his sauce while he's in the Fed pen.

terry_5 · December 2005

Has any one attended this class?

http://www.heatexchangerexperts.com/

CO Testing Biz? · December 2005

Never heard of it where is it/

Unknown · December 2005

The heat exchanger

class is done by Ellis Prach. He is the man to see for how to test heat exchangers. In most of his classes he has actual old heat exchangers for some eyes and hands on. The classes are excellent. It is however only a small part of this complex issue of combustion testing. From the gas side of things it is great to test and insure public safety it is yet another thing to know how to properly service gas equipment from A to Z. If you are going to go beyond the testing into modifications then be ready to deal with local inspectors and utility personnel who will shut you down for altering designed equipment. You may have even solved a combustion issue they cannot fix, but because it went against what they consider design perimeters they will not allow it.

My lawyer and insurance company find it difficult to defend me in some of the alterations that have to be made to some equipment in order for it to work better. It is a good idea to get the manufacturer of the equipment on board. When you deal with them do not go through the sales dept but try to get to the engineering and systems people.

Sometimes in order to save lives you must do what has to be done. When in doubt leave it off, better an upset customer than a dead one.

CO Testing Biz? · December 2005

Thanks for the info Tim.

clammy · December 2005

not all bad

After reading all theposts what about the commerical side with larger gas fired guns .I run into these systems and have always though how much engery they could save if there boilers guns where tested and tuned properly .I believe there money in it on that side as for residental gas it's a hard sale most with gas most never do any thing till there's a issue and with hot air systems and there a co distrubtiton systems right in place waiting .Why a manatory co sensor in the return or supply is beyond me wouldn,t a manafacture think it's wise over possible death of some one .As for co sensor avable at the HD i believe there maxium allowable ppm is more then most fire department allow the firemen to be exposed to it's that funny what a sense of false security huh.I'm all for the safty of the home owner but most are there worst emenies .Peace clammy

Jim Davis_3 · December 2005

CO Marketing

I have trained Fireman, Policemen, Home Inspectors etc., that were interested in doing this exact thing. It certainly is easier for them than a contractors because most consumers know they don't have anything to sell. Consumers are strange but then no one needs to be told this. Many think CO testing is most likely a scam or scare tatics. Check with the media or all the powers to be and all they know is that if they have a CO Alarm from Home Depot their problems are solved. As a contractor, safety does not sell as well as efficiency but they both work as a package. To offer an "Equipment Energy and Safety Audit" might get more attention. There is a need for this type of business because 95% of contractors don't want to spend the time doing this testing at this time.

CO Testing Biz? · December 2005

Thanks for info

Co Testing Pros/Cons

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