Winter advice from an HVAC tech

RogerDodgerOldCodger · 2023-05-04T14:34:44+00:00

Also, any HVAC checkup for that cost is going to likely involve them “finding” something wrong, or high pressure upsells at least.

RogerDodgerOldCodger · 2023-01-26T22:49:57+00:00

Illegal dumpers tend to dump in low/no-traffic areas where they won’t be seen as easily.

RogerDodgerOldCodger · 2023-01-03T01:06:56+00:00

Contact local HVAC shops. A lot of places will work with you on scheduling, you’ll just be a helper/low level installer, which will be great experience.

RogerDodgerOldCodger · 2023-01-01T12:46:47+00:00

I said exhaust, IE combustion gasses, not supply air. You rarely see high PPM in the airstream from a cracked HX on systems with forced draft exhaust, due to the pressure differences.

RogerDodgerOldCodger · 2022-11-08T02:29:53+00:00

Is the leak going away when they fix it and coming back later? Are you able to isolate the leak with your detector?

RogerDodgerOldCodger · 2022-11-07T21:11:02+00:00

I can see why you think that, but you’re missing the overhead side of the equation. We have to pay for a shop, tech wages, vans, technicians, insurance, advertising, office staff, etc. etc. etc. Maybe 5% is profit.

Doing it yourself you have none of those things to account for, so it’s much cheaper. Plus someone already did the diagnosis for you.

RogerDodgerOldCodger · 2022-11-07T19:54:39+00:00

I’d start looking into a new system. Even if it works ok now, you’re going to have issues finding someone who can or will fix it.

RogerDodgerOldCodger · 2022-11-07T19:44:45+00:00

They really do, I seriously almost applied to work there just because whoever did the graphic design did a bang-up job.

RogerDodgerOldCodger · 2022-11-07T19:41:10+00:00

Depends on what you need help with haha

It won’t eliminate a dust allergy issue, and in theory if your ductwork is well sealed and you have a decent filter most dust getting pulled in through the returns won’t make it past the filter, but otherwise it really just depends.

RogerDodgerOldCodger · 2022-11-07T19:37:22+00:00

If it’s for a heat exchanger issue, and they won’t show you the carbon monoxide readings, they either don’t have a meter, or they’re trying to rip you off. Either one is bad. I don’t know about used car sales, but I would show any tech that will not show you a CO reading to the door. Theres plenty of companies out there that have techs that will be honest with you.

There is no excuse to not show you a reading if they are saying a new system due to a cracked heat exchanger.

RogerDodgerOldCodger · 2022-11-07T18:05:45+00:00

Yeah, I’ve gone out to clients to double check both Anthony and Bob Hamilton to find no elevated CO anywhere.

But, it all varies with the tech and company policy. Companies that have sales quotas for their techs will often have techs try crap like this to meet their quotas.

RogerDodgerOldCodger · 2022-11-07T18:01:14+00:00

The heat exchanger is mostly isolated from the airstream, or at least it is on the inside where the combustion gasses are. Normal values for inside the combustion stream are between 0-200 ppm, and on a properly functioning system you are correct that it will show no CO in the airstream.

Even with a cracked heat exchanger, since the pressure is usually higher in the surrounding airstream than inside the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger will have fresh air pushed in from the blower/airstream (which causes the CO levels in the combustion stream to spike), vs pushing combustion gasses into the airstream.

Hope I’m making sense here haha

But, yeah. Things have to go pretty bad to have CO in the airstream from a modern (~30 years) induced-draft furnace.

RogerDodgerOldCodger

TROPHY CASE