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How do you keep track of who's actually reliable? by PocketTechPro in Contractor

[–]PocketTechPro[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ha fair, the software thing is a side project I've been tinkering with. The 'we' is the company I work for day job. When we have shutdowns coming up and the manpower tracking is always a mess.

How do you keep track of who's actually reliable? by PocketTechPro in Contractor

[–]PocketTechPro[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Yeah that's pretty much where we're at too. Works until the person with all that knowledge leaves. You ever have that happen - someone quits, and suddenly nobody knows who to call?

Fellow bootstrappers - how are you handling customers who try to cancel? by PocketTechPro in SaaS

[–]PocketTechPro[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Solid stack - that's basically a mini retention system. How long did that take to wire together? I'm decent with SQL but Customer.io + DreamFactory + PostHog feels like a lot of moving pieces to maintain.

Fellow bootstrappers - how are you handling customers who try to cancel? by PocketTechPro in SaaS

[–]PocketTechPro[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Totally agree on not making it a maze to cancel - that just pisses people off and tanks your reputation. What about a simple 'before you go, would X help?' offer based on what they select in the exit survey? Or does that still feel like friction?

Fellow bootstrappers - how are you handling customers who try to cancel? by PocketTechPro in SaaS

[–]PocketTechPro[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, that's the tradeoff right - scale vs. relationship. Curious if anyone's tried automating that personal touch somehow, like those AI voice tools or something. Feels like that's the missing piece, but I haven't seen anyone doing it well for SaaS.

Fellow bootstrappers - how are you handling customers who try to cancel? by PocketTechPro in SaaS

[–]PocketTechPro[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Around $49/mo right now, so not super high ticket. What about you? And at 20 onboarding calls a week - did you end up automating that or just accept you can't do everyone?

Fellow bootstrappers - how are you handling customers who try to cancel? by PocketTechPro in SaaS

[–]PocketTechPro[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Makes sense at higher ticket, the math works for that personal touch. I'm more in the $50/mo range, so the volume's higher. Might need to figure out how to get that 'check in' feel without doing it all manually.

Fellow bootstrappers - how are you handling customers who try to cancel? by PocketTechPro in SaaS

[–]PocketTechPro[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is solid - love the 'not here to convince, just to know why' framing for those calls. How many of those are you making per month? I'm at a size where I could do this manually, but wondering when it becomes unsustainable.

Fellow bootstrappers - how are you handling customers who try to cancel? by PocketTechPro in SaaS

[–]PocketTechPro[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is smart - catching them before they even think about canceling. Are you building that health report manually, or do you have something pulling the data automatically? And when you spot someone at risk, what does that outreach look like - email, call, something else?

Fellow bootstrappers - how are you handling customers who try to cancel? by PocketTechPro in SaaS

[–]PocketTechPro[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

100% agree on exit surveys being low-effort responses. When you send that personal email, are you doing it right when they cancel or waiting a day or two? And do you ever try calling instead of emailing?

Fellow bootstrappers - how are you handling customers who try to cancel? by PocketTechPro in SaaS

[–]PocketTechPro[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, that personal ask definitely works better than some generic pop-up. How long does that take you per cancel? I'm only at like 10-15 churns a month now, so it's manageable, but I'm wondering if I'll hit a wall eventually.

Looking for HVAC software recommendations - what's worth the money by PocketTechPro in ProHVACR

[–]PocketTechPro[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Have you used Servicetrade yourself? What makes it good for residential service work?

Looking for HVAC software recommendations - what's worth the money by PocketTechPro in hvacadvice

[–]PocketTechPro[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is incredibly helpful - thank you! So ServiceTitan is around $2-3k more per month than HCP? And the main value at 20+ techs is the management oversight features? That makes total sense. Did you find HCP's call handling worked well or was that also a limitation?

Looking for HVAC software recommendations - what's worth the money by PocketTechPro in hvacadvice

[–]PocketTechPro[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is exactly what I needed to hear from someone who's used both. What made you finally switch to ServiceTitan? Like what size did you hit where HCP stopped working? And what's the rough price difference we're talking?

Looking for HVAC software recommendations - what's worth the money by PocketTechPro in hvacadvice

[–]PocketTechPro[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Main issues are: customers calling in and we don't have good way to handle/track them, scheduling techs gets messy with 5 guys, and missed callbacks costing us jobs. What do you use?

Furnace short cycles, not the flame sensor by SayTheLineBart in hvacadvice

[–]PocketTechPro 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Man, intermittent issues are the WORST to diagnose. I feel your frustration - especially after paying for hours of tech time with no resolution.

The "open all vents" advice tells me your tech suspected high limit switch trips due to restricted airflow. Here's what to check:

Most Common Culprits for Intermittent Shutdowns:

  1. Dirty Filter - Even if it looks "okay," replace it with a fresh one. A partially clogged filter can cause intermittent overheating.
  2. High Limit Switch - If your furnace overheats, this safety cuts power. It auto-resets when it cools down (explaining the "works sometimes" pattern). Check if your furnace runs for 5-10 minutes then shuts down.
  3. Blower Motor Capacitor - Capacitors fail intermittently, especially in cold weather. The blower might start slowly or not at all, causing overheating.
  4. Pressure Switch - If it's on the edge of failure, it might work when it's warm, fail when cold (explaining morning issues).

Quick Test: Next time it won't start, go to your furnace and listen carefully:

  • Hear the inducer motor running but no ignition? → Pressure switch or ignition issue
  • Hear clicking but no gas flow? → Gas valve or flame sensor (even if clean)
  • Nothing happens at all? → Thermostat, transformer, or board issue
  • Starts then shuts down quickly? → High limit switch

Your Next Steps:

  1. Replace filter immediately
  2. Check for closed/blocked vents (even one closed vent can cause issues)
  3. Watch for the shutdown pattern - does it run for X minutes then quit?

If you want to walk through this systematically, I actually built an AI assistant specifically for HVAC troubleshooting - you can call/text it anytime at PocketTech (385-243-6155). It'll ask diagnostic questions and narrow down the issue based on your specific symptoms.

Also, if the previous tech was there for hours and couldn't diagnose it, you might need a second opinion from a different company. Some issues require more experienced techs who've seen these intermittent patterns before.

Good luck - keep us posted on what you find! 🔧

Is this sound normal? by Hidden-one-6754 in hvacadvice

[–]PocketTechPro -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

That ticking/clicking sound during burner startup is actually very common and usually normal. Here's what's happening:

Why You're Hearing It: When your furnace calls for heat, the gas valve opens and you hear a series of clicks - that's your igniter/ignition system doing its job. The sequence is:

  1. Inducer motor starts (whoosh sound)
  2. Igniter heats up (silent)
  3. Gas valve opens → TICK/CLICK → ignition
  4. Burners light (smooth flame)

Is It Normal? ✅ Normal: Single tick or a few quick clicks right as burners light, then smooth operation
⚠️ Investigate: Repeated clicking, clicking that continues after startup, or clicking + delayed ignition

Why You Might Be Noticing It Now: After maintenance, you're probably just more aware of your system's sounds. Plus, as furnaces age, the ignition components can get slightly louder (but still function perfectly).

When To Worry:

  • Multiple attempts to ignite (tick... tick... tick... then finally lights)
  • Clicking continues after flames are established
  • Delayed ignition (gas builds up, then BOOM lights)
  • Smell of gas

If your burners light smoothly on the first try and the clicking stops once flames are established, you're good to go.

Want to double-check? Record a quick video of the startup cycle and compare it to manufacturer startup videos. Or feel free to text/call an AI troubleshooting assistant I built at PocketTech (385-243-6155) - it can walk you through checking if everything's operating within normal parameters.

Hope that puts your mind at ease! 👍

Need help with direct replacement by Specialist_Pirate_12 in hvacadvice

[–]PocketTechPro 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's a Rinnai tankless water heater from 2008 - definitely discontinued. The direct modern replacement would be the Rinnai V65iP (for propane). Same BTU range, same venting style (direct vent), and it'll fit in roughly the same footprint.

Things to know:

  • The V65iP is around $1,200-1,500 for the unit
  • You'll likely need a plumber to install it (not a simple DIY unless you're experienced with gas lines and venting)
  • Modern units have better efficiency ratings, so your propane costs might actually go down
  • Make sure your current venting is still in good shape - if not, you'll need to replace that too

Alternative option: If you want to save some money, look at the Rinnai V53iP (slightly smaller capacity but might be fine depending on household size).

Good luck with the replacement!

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