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Originally Posted by Mike19 Get into refrigeration, and work for a company that does work at restaurants. Working in a kitchen and dealing with all the cooks and managers will make you wish you where on a roof or in a mechanical room by yourself. You know now that I said how terrible restaurants are, I got woken up and called in to go to a restaurant this morning (sunday), and the place was super clean, and everybody was real nice.
I'm not in HVAC but curious about how this job compares to auto mechanics. Advantages I see there are less possible down time. Is pay comparable? But I know from bringing in my car for repair that the service advisor usually pegs the problem and the techs probably have to get it done in that allotted amount of time or less.
lol refrigeration work is far from 'loner' work. Half the job is making people like you enough to want to call back when the next thing breaks.. its tiringly social at times. >.< HVAC guys do have it easy in almost every aspect. Alas, they see the downside in thier paychecks though.. lol
simple answer: yes
Originally Posted by Mike19 Get into refrigeration, and work for a company that does work at restaurants. Working in a kitchen and dealing with all the cooks and managers will make you wish you where on a roof or in a mechanical room by yourself. I love working restaurants. I had to learn the gas systems, since all I worked on in the service was electric, but it was well worth it. There is nothing more fulfilling than an executive cheif that you have just saved a walk in freezer full of food for. I have 8 hours till I can get up and ten and a half hours before I can arrive at work, and I can't wait. I do fine with those roof top package units that are so common with restaurants, but give me a a down ice machine, and I'm a happy tech. Executive cheifs and restaurant managers can be appreciative when you get an emergency service call repaired. A lot of work in a crew in obscured as to who did a good job, but working on restaurant gear is usually a one person job, though there are exceptions, and when you get the gear up and running, the cooks, managers etc adore you.
especially when you start talking to the unit on a Friday afternoon to stay on until you get off the roof...better yet no AC in an all female office and you disappear into the MER and within 10 minutes it is banging cooling..rock star walking back out..getting signed out..sorry can't share that
Originally Posted by mason Amen! X2!! AMEN!
there are usually no witnesses when I talk to myself, not that they could hear me over the noise, suits and ties tend to avoid ladders and dungeons. I have never been one to play well with others anyway. It's either to hot or to cold, otherwise we would not be there. And I can stay honest and still make a buck without hurting anybody.
Originally Posted by Mike19 Get into refrigeration, and work for a company that does work at restaurants. Working in a kitchen and dealing with all the cooks and managers will make you wish you where on a roof or in a mechanical room by yourself. You said it there mike! There has been alot of awesome comments on this thread. All being true.
Originally Posted by basparky I love not going to the same place doing the same damn thing day after day. It truly cracks me up that they tell kids in school to work hard, get into college and get a career. After they spend 4 years in school with no idea what they really want to do and go into 100's of thousands in dollars of debt they go into some job where they sit in the same damn cubicle day after day without any true sense of accomplishment. I don't think the teachers have a clue what a great career the trades are... and many in the trades don't know how great service work is! I think we know something they don't! Amen!
I love not going to the same place doing the same damn thing day after day. It truly cracks me up that they tell kids in school to work hard, get into college and get a career. After they spend 4 years in school with no idea what they really want to do and go into 100's of thousands in dollars of debt they go into some job where they sit in the same damn cubicle day after day without any true sense of accomplishment. I don't think the teachers have a clue what a great career the trades are... and many in the trades don't know how great service work is! I think we know something they don't!
Don't forget getting stepped on! A friend of mine that does a lot of resteraunt work told me always keep your heels to the side while working on your knees in a kitchen so your ankles don't get broken when you get stepped on.
Originally Posted by coolwhip Worked in a kitchen a few times...never again! Couldn't stand the slimy greasy floors, the cock roach infested ice machines, and the filthy condensers on top of filthy walk in coolers. A lot of my job is as described above, plus we do hot side. I'll take working on a rooftop any day.
Originally Posted by coolwhip Worked in a kitchen a few times...never again! Couldn't stand the slimy greasy floors, the cock roach infested ice machines, and the filthy condensers on top of filthy walk in coolers. That's why I'm leaving refrigeration .restaurant work is the worst.
To tell you the truth if it feels lonely then you would be more suitable as a installer then a tech, coming from the install field I have found that most of them like to work with others and dont like going out by themselves, and most bosses will send you out together cause alot of the time is better managed with 2 or more.
Originally Posted by coolwhip Worked in a kitchen a few times...never again! Couldn't stand the slimy greasy floors, the cock roach infested ice machines, and the filthy condensers on top of filthy walk in coolers. THIS^^^^^and trying to pretzel your way on top of the racks to clean the back of the evaporator with a wire brush freezing your ass off!
Originally Posted by Mike19 Get into refrigeration, and work for a company that does work at restaurants. Working in a kitchen and dealing with all the cooks and managers will make you wish you where on a roof or in a mechanical room by yourself. excellent response, its always fun trying to fix stuff in the nasty ass kitchen while they are cooking all around you.
Originally Posted by ryan1088 I prefer to walk into a place with a chemical suit and face shield on with my cooper thermometer out and looking at it. You get some really strange looks that way. Haha!!
Originally Posted by Mike19 If you have the big insulated gloves for working on energized circuits put them on. Then move real slow with this panicked look on you're face like your in fear that you'll get blown up any second. People will stay away. I prefer to walk into a place with a chemical suit and face shield on with my cooper thermometer out and looking at it. You get some really strange looks that way.
Originally Posted by lytning What I like to do when people are standing around is go. OH O, or maybe OPPS. Or maybe just ask, hey do you remember where all these damn wires go? If you have the big insulated gloves for working on energized circuits put them on. Then move real slow with this panicked look on you're face like your in fear that you'll get blown up any second. People will stay away.
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