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Mark H and Timmie

John R. Hall
John R. Hall Member Posts: 2,246
Guys:

I see you will be at Wetstock IV. That might be a good time to set a goal for putting together a consumer CO education package, if you are interested. Maybe we can gather more input at the "IAQ" table. Let's put our thinking caps on.

Comments

  • CO at Wetstock

    Do we want to discuss ways to get to the consumer with education or would it be better to talk about ways to educate contractors who in turn can educate consumers.

    There is a lot of material that has been created in the past 50 years that sits on a shelf somewhere collecting dust.

    Most everyone who talks about CO here on the Wall is a recent convert to the cause. I have been involved with this for over 40 years and can tell you that volumes have been written and distributed to the public.

    It has to take a new life if we are to resurrect concern among trades people and consumers.

    It gets attention when incidents occur but is then soon forgotten.

    How about some code standards requiring testing on every call to a customers premises. If you check around you will find that most codes have nothing to do with servicing equipment. All the codes are directed toward installtion and initial set-up. Service is and has been forgotten as something required and mandated on all equipment. How about yearly efficiency testing on all heating equipment being made a requirement.
  • John R. Hall
    John R. Hall Member Posts: 2,246
    Timmie

    I'd prefer to take a shot at educating the contractors. But I don't want to repeat the same stuff over and over again -- I'd prefer to discuss new ways that contractors can get into the heads of their customers. I've got some ideas. I'll look forward to exchanging thoughts with you and many others at Wetstock IV.
  • ScottMP
    ScottMP Member Posts: 5,884
    Lets keep it simple

    A C.O. table run by Tim and Mark !!!

    Make sure its a large table.

    Scott

    To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"
  • Mark Hunt
    Mark Hunt Member Posts: 4,909
    Educating contractors


    would be top on my list.

    As I've said, most contractors around here don't even own test equipment.

    I'll be thinking up something.

    Mark H

    To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"
  • George_10
    George_10 Member Posts: 580
    Mark

    > would be top on my list.

    >

    > As I've said, most

    > contractors around here don't even own test

    > equipment.

    >

    > I'll be thinking up

    > something.

    >

    > Mark H

    >

    > _A

    > HREF="http://www.heatinghelp.com/getListed.cfm?id=

    > 238&Step=30"_To Learn More About This

    > Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in

    > "Find A Contractor"_/A_



  • George_10
    George_10 Member Posts: 580
    Mark

    > would be top on my list.

    >

    > As I've said, most

    > contractors around here don't even own test

    > equipment.

    >

    > I'll be thinking up

    > something.

    >

    > Mark H

    >

    > _A

    > HREF="http://www.heatinghelp.com/getListed.cfm?id=

    > 238&Step=30"_To Learn More About This

    > Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in

    > "Find A Contractor"_/A_



  • George_10
    George_10 Member Posts: 580
    Mark

    you need to come up with some (what I call) zinger sentences or statements. Statements that cut right to the chase. I am not trying to make this trivial, but you need to get your message into the minds of the people you are trying to educate. In some ways, it is a selling job. Only in this instance, you could be saving someone's life.

    I have spent my life time in the selling game, and I know this idea could be handled in this way with great effect.

    Something like follow the three Cs. What do the Cs stand for? But I do not know the topic well enough yet to be much help, but I will be listening at Wetstock.

    I will say this that I am intrigued enough that I am going to get an article published by hook or crook on this topic.

    I would like to use my way with words for a good cause and save a life. Can not think of a better use of my small talent.
  • Jed_2
    Jed_2 Member Posts: 781
    Just a thought

    Look at the advancement of "On Star" in Caddy's. With the advancement of Electronic Analysers, manufacturers could incorporate analysis into their products, maybe as an option at first. It could be equipped with sensors located at strategic points throughout the house, detecting any CO being produced and released in the building space. Response action could be a drastic as shut down, warning signal, or remote dialer.

    Is this so far fetched???

    Just a thought. Naaahhhh. What manufacturer would go that far?

    Jed
  • Mark Hunt
    Mark Hunt Member Posts: 4,909
    I'll work on it George


    I just got two more Google news alerts.

    In one case an elderly woman was found in her car. Dead from CO.

    The other was a warning to folks in Minnesota about CO dangers. The warning was issued in response to the death of a fifteen year old girl. I posted that story.

    I am excited about the feed back!

    We can fix this.

    Mark H

    To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"
  • CO detectors in equipment

    has been considered. The problem is getting sensors that will last with the continuing flue gases that would pass over them. External sesnors would be shutting equipment off every time you cooked or passed by them with a cigarette.

    The thing to have is an ultra-violet detector system that looks at the flame and if it is not correct shuts the equipment off as a flame failure. It is on gas industrial burners. It is cost prohibitive on residentail equipment. Works much like the CAD cell on oil.
  • George,

    Been there done that many times it only lasts for a short time. It is an easy sell when an incident occurs. This thing needs to get national attention with prime time coverage.

    I have been on local radio and TV on numerous occasions and spoken to many groups about this subject. I have written numerous articles. The biggest problem is trades people who will not test and really do not think they have to test. Testing to them is cost prohibitive. They do not feel they can sell the time to test to a customer. We train service techs to sell products and equipment because it can be justified in the minds of trades people that it is profitable for both their company and the customer. CO testing can be a tough sell sometimes. Mark Hunt and a few others are the exception. I have been testing for 43 years and have shut off thousands of pieces of equipment. If they were willing to pay we would repair or replace if not it was inoperative and could not be used. When in doubt make it safe.

    We would welcome any sales approach that would reach the multitude believe me. As an ordained preacher I know what effective communication can accomplish. Here on the Wall we are preaching to the choir many times. We have to launch an evangelistic campaign to reach the lost who do not know or sometimes do not want to know.
  • What about all of these trade papers

    and magazines that we see all of these great ways to install piping, plumbing, radiant and month after month articles about how to improve your business. The "News" did a couple of articles on CO because I am sure John Hall pushed the issue whe he said he was "mad as hell about CO" if my quote is correct.The News would not print an article I wrote because it was to strong and might offend someone. How offensive is it when someone dies. How about a column in these magazines about safety that runs every month and for the first year do it only on CO. I challenge all the trade papers and magazines to get behind that one. Let myself and Jim Davis and others get the word out to everyone what are they afraid of anyway.
  • Mark Hunt
    Mark Hunt Member Posts: 4,909
    This issue


    will have to be taken on by the ENTIRE industry.

    Most don't take us seriously Timmie. They have been doing things a certain way for years and they have never "seen" a problem.

    I never knew what I was doing wrong until someone told me how to do it right.

    So now I have to tell others. Some will listen, some won't.

    John Hall is not your ordinary reporter. He is part of our industry. The major media outlets want nothing to do with CO unless someone is dead. Then they go talk to someone who is supposed to know better but doesn't.

    Not going to be easy to root this out, but I think we've started.

    Mark H

    To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"
  • John R. Hall
    John R. Hall Member Posts: 2,246
    Awesome guys

    If a fraction of HVAC contractors had your passion for this topic, we could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. This might be an idea to bring to the AHR Expo this year in Anaheim and also to ISH-NA, which will be later on this year in Wethead territory -- Boston.

    I am taking the idea of better IAQ in schools to AHR this year and now I am thinking that I may need to talk with manufacturers about CO and how they educate their dealer/contractors. The News is not shy to address the subject because it blankets our entire trade. I will look into revisiting your article Timmie and why it wasn't published.

    It may sound like a tired cliche, but if all of our efforts save at least one life, the efforts will be worth it.

    A CO table at Wetstock? Sounds great to me.
  • George_10
    George_10 Member Posts: 580
    I had a plumber at my house

    over the Christmas holidays. I asked him if his company did CO testing. His answer was the ac and furnace people in his company did, but he didn't. Also, he did not ask if I wanted it done. Now we only have one gas fired unit, but I was willing if he offered the service. It was interesting to me at how little importance he gave to its need. I have an old home too.

    Any way, I will pursue getting the article in the local newspaper and at least do my part. As you said, bad news sells and good news is buried in the paper. It should be different, but that is the way it is.
  • Murph'_4
    Murph'_4 Member Posts: 209
    funny....

    cause water heaters are one of the worst appliances for this type of disaster



    Murph' (sos)
This discussion has been closed.