Please DIYers, call a pro...

[markco]

I went to a call Friday afternoon, the work order said customer needs a charge of freon. Got there to find that the homeowner had installed a dual zone mini-split. Said that he just needed to charge it up. I said they usually have the charge in the condenser, and that it just needs to be released. He said that he already did that, but the system isn't cooling. Soooo, we go into the house. What he had done was, he only ran one line-set to one of the evaporators, teed off that line to the other evaporator. Went out to check the condenser, and there was the other zone for the other line-set untouched. I just felt so sorry for this guy. He must have spent the whole week running the one line-set, knocking holes in his walls, and feeding the teed-off line-set through the 14" attic to the other evaporator. So now he's out all the time and effort and money to try to save a few bucks. Now it's going to cost him more money to have somebody come and clean up this mess, than it would have cost to just have a professional install it from the beginning.




The funny thing is that he pressure tested the lines before he pulled a vacuum. (Vacuum pump borrowed from a friend)

[Edited by markco on 06-26-2005 at 01:49 AM]

[Irascible]

Humorous story.

Though I wonder if you've ever worked on your own car? Plumbing? Electrical? Anything that was outside of your full time profession?

This notion that homeowners must always call a professional is self-serving nonsense. Not one of us follows that advice in our own lives. Should this guy have called a pro? Absolutely! But the lesson there is not that DIY'ers should stop all DIY activities. The lesson is they should know their limitations and not be so cheap when a project exceeds their knowledge. Not to mention that releasing refrigerant exceeded his legal right to do so.

[mark beiser]

Originally posted by Irascible
Humorous story.

Though I wonder if you've ever worked on your own car? Plumbing? Electrical? Anything that was outside of your full time profession?

Lets see, I work on my own cars, including ground up nuts and bolts restorations. Currently I'm working on a '74 BMW 3.0S and a Triumph TR7. I took auto shop classes in high school and my garage is equipped as well as some mechanics bays though. If I had any newer cars, I would get a pro to do the work on them. I limit myself to British sports cars and my old BMW.

I also qualify to take my states journymans electrician and plumbers license exams, have worked as a roofer, tile setter, and general home repair for a remodeling contractor before I got into HVAC.

I pay someone else to cut my grass though.

[Mr Bill]

Originally posted by Irascible
Humorous story.

Though I wonder if you've ever worked on your own car? Plumbing? Electrical? Anything that was outside of your full time profession?

This notion that homeowners must always call a professional is self-serving nonsense. Not one of us follows that advice in our own lives. Should this guy have called a pro? Absolutely! But the lesson there is not that DIY'ers should stop all DIY activities. The lesson is they should know their limitations and not be so cheap when a project exceeds their knowledge. Not to mention that releasing refrigerant exceeded his legal right to do so.

That is a great post! and I agree 100%.

[smokin68]

[.




The funny thing is that he pressure tested the lines before he pulled a vacuum. (Vacuum pump borrowed from a friend)

[Edited by markco on 06-26-2005 at 01:49 AM] [/B][/QUOTE]

The scary part is what did he use,his buddy's oxygen tank? Highly unlikely he had a nitrogen cylinder.

[tinknocker service tech]

i agree there is no reason a homeowner shouldnt try to do some things as long as they know thier limatations. i do work on my car all the time and when i know it is something i shouldnt do i take it in and have it done.
same goes for ac. if they want to set the unit and the airhandler why not but advice on the correct way is good to have. as far as this poor guy it is a shame. he was probably given poor advice from where he bought the thing

[Irascible]

Thanks for the support Bill. Thanks for the bragging Mark... lousy showoff.

[mam123]

Hey Mark, I think that you are in the DFW area. I am in Fort Worth. I have a 1966 TR4A. The Red River Triumph club meets in Grapevine on the second tuesday of each month. Give me a call at 817-690-3502.
Regards, Mike Morphis

[hiltontech]

Sounds like a person who is scared to death to spend a few dollars more to get it done right the first time.


HiltonTech

[dec]

Well......cant say Im glad to hear it. Then again....yes I can, GLAD TO HEAR IT.

[markco]

In one way I can relate to this guy's situation. Two and a half years ago, my sewer backed up. I was unemployed, wife not working because she just squirted out our first new-born. So to save money, I rented a sewer auger. Worked on that thing for a whole day, thought I had it unplugged. Next day, more water in the basement. Went back to rent their BIGGER auger. Worked on it all day, thought I had it unplugged. DAMN!!! Called Roto-Rooter. Within an hour the guy had it unplugged. What I paid him was about half of what I spent renting equipment. Like Clint Eastwood said, "Man's got to know his limitations." That's why I felt so sorry for this guy, because Iv'e been in the same kind of situation.