What if you find a T&P with a plug in it. - Page 2 - Plumbing Zone

22rifle · 08-10-2008, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by service guy

WOW! That guy should get an award for a$$h01e customer of the year!

A week later I quoted a guy a price to install his own ped lav in his remodel. Included opening wall and relocating the PVC tee. Quoted way too low, BTW.

I showed him the price and he went crazy. I mean, flip a switch kind of deal.

At one point he had a knife in his hand, not threatening me with it, just picked it up while yelling at me. He was between the door and me so I picked up his cordless phone, dialed 91, and asked him if he was going to put down the knife and walk to another room until I left or whether I needed to go ahead and dial the last 1.

He put it down and walked away. Shook me up good but I was professional the whole time.

It was a small town. I loved seeing him in the grocery store, etc after that. He would always try to sneak away and I would holler his name and say hi really cheerful like. Everyone knew what had happened so people would laugh at me and praise me for it. No one liked him to begin with.

Song Dog · 08-10-2008, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 22rifle

A week later I quoted a guy a price to install his own ped lav in his remodel. Included opening wall and relocating the PVC tee. Quoted way too low, BTW.

I showed him the price and he went crazy. I mean, flip a switch kind of deal.

At one point he had a knife in his hand, not threatening me with it, just picked it up while yelling at me. He was between the door and me so I picked up his cordless phone, dialed 91, and asked him if he was going to put down the knife and walk to another room until I left or whether I needed to go ahead and dial the last 1.

He put it down and walked away. Shook me up good but I was professional the whole time.

It was a small town. I loved seeing him in the grocery store, etc after that. He would always try to sneak away and I would holler his name and say hi really cheerful like. Everyone knew what had happened so people would laugh at me.

I have never forgotten that after you told em that on the phone. WOW!

In Christ,

Song Dog

Ron · 08-10-2008, 03:03 PM

I split the thread from Pet Peeves, sorry if I confused anyone.

22rifle · 08-10-2008, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Song Dog

I have never forgotten that after you told em that on the phone. WOW!

In Christ,

Song Dog

Hee hee! When I am an old man, my caretakers will hear me tell this story and sigh and roll their eyes because they heard it twice the day before.

Plumberman · 08-10-2008, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ILPlumber

And what do you do when your fixing a toilet and you walk by the WH and the T&P has a 3/4" plug in it.

You mention it to the homeowner and they say it's fine, don't touch it

Shut the heater down and explain to them the dangers of operating it with a plug in it. I might burn a bridge but at least I can sleep at night knowing I did my job instead of hearing the heater malfunctioned and blew up. I could never live with myself if that happened.

uaplumber · 08-10-2008, 10:23 PM

I went to a home a couple months ago trying to find the source of water on a basement floor. (dog urine, nice )
While down there I noticed a rubber hose attached to the T&P valve. I followed the hose into the next room where I discoved a ball valve attached and closed. The HO explained that the T&P valve was leaking after he had opened it up to test it so he put the hose on with the valve. Then every so often he would go downstairs and drain the hose. I explained the error of his thinking and convinced him to change out the T&P valve.

Another situation that comes to mind. I went to service a furnace in an older home. The thermocouple was shot so I replaced it. Things were slow that day and seeing as he was paying me for an hour anyways I offered to do a quick inspection on the furnace. His heat exchanger has holes big enough to stick my pencil through. After trying to explain how this was a bad thing without success I got the sulpher out of the van. I had the HO watch as I put the sulpher on the burners then we went upstairs. That was all the proof he needed. Something about burning mucus membranes and watering eyes convinces people fast. It was very cold out at the time and he had no money for a replacement. So then I was faced with a dilema. Do I disable his furnace until it is repaired? Do I just shrug and walk away? There are no really easy answers for that. In the end I made the HO sign and date a CYA note for me stating that I had advised him of the hazards and had recommened a replacement. I also advised him to keep windows cracked open in his bedrooms until the furnace could be replaced.

Plumberman · 08-10-2008, 10:28 PM

There are always varibles to different situations but you were right by getting something signed. If they dont want it fixed then I will not be held liable for what might happen. Alot of time a signature is the only defense.

Herk · 08-10-2008, 11:07 PM

If memory serves, the UPC requires you to repair any dangerous condition. It doesn't say that you have to get paid for it. Here, the code is so poorly enforced that they probably wouldn't even show up if you reported a plugged relief valve.

GrumpyPlumber · 08-11-2008, 01:00 AM

Had a boiler with a plug in the relief, mid-winter.
I shut the boiler off immediately, the homeowner objected, saying the boiler was fine.
I told him I didn't care what he did, but I wasn't gonna stay in that house with the plug in and the boiler on...no death wishes here.

He decided to have me replace the indirect that was backfeeding into the boiler once he understood I wasn't kidding about the danger.

service guy · 08-11-2008, 01:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrumpyPlumber

Had a boiler with a plug in the relief, mid-winter.
I shut the boiler off immediately, the homeowner objected, saying the boiler was fine.
I told him I didn't care what he did, but I wasn't gonna stay in that house with the plug in and the boiler on...no death wishes here.

He decided to have me replace the indirect that was backfeeding into the boiler once he understood I wasn't kidding about the danger.

That is the awesomest way to handle it! Excellent!

08-10-2008, 03:03 PM	#13
Ron Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 8,635 My Photos	I split the thread from Pet Peeves, sorry if I confused anyone. __________________ Stephen Hawking: If the government is covering up knowledge of Aliens, they are doing a better job of it then they do at anything else.

08-11-2008, 01:00 AM	#19
GrumpyPlumber Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: MA Posts: 572 My Photos	Had a boiler with a plug in the relief, mid-winter. I shut the boiler off immediately, the homeowner objected, saying the boiler was fine. I told him I didn't care what he did, but I wasn't gonna stay in that house with the plug in and the boiler on...no death wishes here. He decided to have me replace the indirect that was backfeeding into the boiler once he understood I wasn't kidding about the danger. __________________ Rules and Regulations Governing Plumbers and Gas Fitters - Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation

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08-10-2008, 10:23 PM	#16
uaplumber Plumbing Contractor Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Westlock, Alberta, Canada Posts: 1,436 My Photos	I went to a home a couple months ago trying to find the source of water on a basement floor. (dog urine, nice ) While down there I noticed a rubber hose attached to the T&P valve. I followed the hose into the next room where I discoved a ball valve attached and closed. The HO explained that the T&P valve was leaking after he had opened it up to test it so he put the hose on with the valve. Then every so often he would go downstairs and drain the hose. I explained the error of his thinking and convinced him to change out the T&P valve. Another situation that comes to mind. I went to service a furnace in an older home. The thermocouple was shot so I replaced it. Things were slow that day and seeing as he was paying me for an hour anyways I offered to do a quick inspection on the furnace. His heat exchanger has holes big enough to stick my pencil through. After trying to explain how this was a bad thing without success I got the sulpher out of the van. I had the HO watch as I put the sulpher on the burners then we went upstairs. That was all the proof he needed. Something about burning mucus membranes and watering eyes convinces people fast. It was very cold out at the time and he had no money for a replacement. So then I was faced with a dilema. Do I disable his furnace until it is repaired? Do I just shrug and walk away? There are no really easy answers for that. In the end I made the HO sign and date a CYA note for me stating that I had advised him of the hazards and had recommened a replacement. I also advised him to keep windows cracked open in his bedrooms until the furnace could be replaced.

08-10-2008, 11:07 PM	#18
Herk Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: S.E. Idaho Posts: 800 My Photos	If memory serves, the UPC requires you to repair any dangerous condition. It doesn't say that you have to get paid for it. Here, the code is so poorly enforced that they probably wouldn't even show up if you reported a plugged relief valve.