I'm terrified of heights, and it killed my short lived HVAC career.

[hvacker]

Get an OSHA harness and wear it so it's impossible for you to fall. Tie off everything that might make for a bad day.
Don't operate a high lift while extended. Ladders blow over. Don't let them. If looking down gives you fits, don't. Like my doc said when I told him "It hurts when I do this" He said "Then don't do it."
For a quick cure (or not) take up sky diving.

[MT1]

To quote Sheldon Cooper: "A fear of heights is illogical. A fear of falling, on the other hand, is prudent and evolutionary. "

The only thing that really sketches me out these days is extension ladders that are maxed out. How they flex and bounce kinda bothers me, but it's very rare I'm on one. Otherwise I'm probably a bit too complacent with heights. If I fall, I fall and it's not my problem any more.

[Jim1959]

When I'm on a high place, I get dizzy and then I don't trust my balance. I think I'm a lot more likely to fall because of that. Somebody told me that is vertigo.

[Wilkinsjt87]

Dude u gotta just get up there and do it more u do better ull be

[Wilkinsjt87]

I’m on extension ladders every day having to stick spikes in ice with truck supporting ladder that’s sketchy

[jacob-k]

Dude. This trade is so in need of people. All you have to do is tell the company you want to work for that your afraid of heights.

Every call that comes in dispatch asks where the unit is located....Pretty easy to cherry-pick the calls you get sent out to. Very common practice for a new tech just going out on his own to have calls closet to shop cherry-picked so he isn't stuck on a call way out in the middle of nowhere.

[joemach]

I was afraid of heights when younger. Then rode a 28' ladder down the wall. When I realized that I won't die from falling, I was OK with heights. Now I love going up high. No one there to bother me and I can get more work done.

[heatingman]

Until you have to climb a 12/12 pitch roof to put a chimney sleeve in.

He can request a roofer do it. Ive done that many times. Ditto for exhaust fans.


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[heatingman]

Damn it. 2 year old thread.

Trickled again. The OP came to an answer long ago.


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[Patech]

I got into a union shop whose work is 90% industrial / large commercial / institutional. We don’t have a lot of roof top accounts. I haven’t used an extension ladder since I started working here. Anytime I work on a roof I just take the stairs.


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[VTP99]

Damn it. 2 year old thread.

Trickled again. The OP came to an answer long ago.


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Same poster bumped multiple threads yesterday.
Special K closed one of them.

[Viewsaver]

When I started I was a little shaky on ladders.
After a few consecutive weeks of daily roof climbing I was fine. By the end of the summer I was sprinting up that ladder.
When I started doing more refrigeration , i went 6 months without taking the ladder of the truck. First time on it after 6 months was like day one . Shaky legs .. Took a few times up and down for my muscles to remember . Then I was fine.
Dont give up man.

If you want to put things in perspective, look up Fred Dibnah Steeplejack, on the Tube.

I'm moderately afraid of heights, or better said, afraid of falling and the resulting sudden stop at the end. Generally I can manage well enough, although wobbly scissor lifts at 30 feet definitely pucker me up. But, watching Fred climb 200+ feet up a stack with nothing more than pegs hammered into the brick, ropes and wooden ladders was absolutely fascinating, yet gave me the heebie jeebies the entire time. There isn't enough money on the planet to make me do that.

[Poodle Head Mikey]

Do it. And do it now. There is no better time, you have got The Stuff, and good people are in very short supply.

What if you were very short? Or tall and substantial? Say 6' 7" and looked like a pro football lineman - 300 lbs. of bulky muscle.

Guess what: no crawlspaces for you - somebody suited for it would have to do that work. No crawl-attics for you - somebody suited for it would have to do that work.

So you will do everything But climb ladders! It's one thing dude - it's not Everything. Stop whining and moaning: "I can't do it! I have the ladder-thing!"

Go in and say: Will you just Look at me - it's amazing; I can do Everything but climb ladders. Let's get to work boss.

Get some well rounded experience, learn every thing you possibly can, buy a truck to start your own business, and have it lettered:

Ladder Less HVAC/R
We're better Because we Are well Grounded.


PHM
-------

A few years back I attended some trade school classes and obtained a few entry level certifications in HVAC. I landed a temporary apprentice position which lasted about six months. I learned a lot on this job! I also found that there were a lot of things I enjoyed about the work. I've always liked tinkering with electronics and stuff. I particularly enjoyed the troubleshooting and the science behind it all. I also wasn't too bad at it considering I was still a newcomer.

But there was one aspect that made my stomach turn: the rooftops. I didn't realize going into the field how many rooftop units there were. I also didn't realize how severe my fear of heights was. There was one job in particular that we had to return to several times. I got very little sleep that week. The mere thought of climbing onto that roof induced a dizzying sense of vertigo. Once the temporary position was up, I found myself putting off the search for HVAC work. Every
time I would think about looking for work, the thought of climbing on rooftops popped back into my mind.

I decided to leave HVAC. I tried a few other career paths, none of which really stuck. I've since obtained an AAS in software development, which as it turns out is completely useless here in Indiana. As much as I love programming, I don't think I'll find work around here. The end result of the last few years? Tons of interesting knowledge that I'll probably never use, years of stress worrying about finding my career, and I'm stuck in a dead end retail position.

I've been considering going back into HVAC. It's practical, I mostly enjoyed the work, there's some degree of freedom and autonomy, and I get to help people. Maybe I'll get used to the heights? Or maybe there are some similar careers that check these boxes without requiring me to climb on rooftops? I dunno. It's frustrating though. I feel like I could do so much better than retail, but nothing I've tried has ever stuck.

[cmdunn]

i work in facilities maintenance and i do have to be pretty high up fairly often. we have cooling towers on roofs, air handlers hanging from the ceiling with cat walks, and your standard assortment of rooftop units.