Post by gogittum on Aug 13, 2024 11:15:49 GMT -5
Thinking about my answer on the dialysis thread, one incident when I was new to the business of appliance repair in Idaho really kick-started my reputation and helped get me going. Local economy (the whole Northwest economy) was in the toilet due to the Spotted Owl b.s. and times were tough.
A fella in a neighboring town called because food in his upright freezer in his garage was melting. I checked it over and found nothing wrong...it was running fine; temps and pressures were fine...but food was melting.
Sat on my heels and stared at it and his little dog came up and pee-ed on the corner of it, on the lower hinge. Hinge was badly rusted. The light went on above my head and I thought, "hmmm....??"
Took a 1/8" drill bit and drilled a small hole at the top of the hinge and dribbled some ZoomSpout oil (10 weight non-detergent turbine oil) into it, worked the door back and forth and within a short time, it was working fine. Dog pee corrosion was binding the hinge and it was popping the seal on the door - it'd sit open about an inch, let the cold air out and he hadn't noticed.
When I showed him, he busted up laughing and became an instant fast friend. Haha...he bragged me up all over town and really helped me become known.
A short time later he called about something else, then told me to just come on in - he and wife had to go somewhere for something and he'd leave the door unlocked. I declined and limited myself to my home area, JIC - he was in the neighboring town.
Late that afternoon he called again and asked if I had come out after all. "Nope," I said, "stayed in town all day." He was relieved - someone had entered his house and ripped him off for quite a bit of stuff and he was pretty upset. I had plenty of witnesses as to where I'd been all day, so was well clear.
Man, am I ever glad I'd refused to enter his home and stayed right away. My reputation was intact.
A fella in a neighboring town called because food in his upright freezer in his garage was melting. I checked it over and found nothing wrong...it was running fine; temps and pressures were fine...but food was melting.
Sat on my heels and stared at it and his little dog came up and pee-ed on the corner of it, on the lower hinge. Hinge was badly rusted. The light went on above my head and I thought, "hmmm....??"
Took a 1/8" drill bit and drilled a small hole at the top of the hinge and dribbled some ZoomSpout oil (10 weight non-detergent turbine oil) into it, worked the door back and forth and within a short time, it was working fine. Dog pee corrosion was binding the hinge and it was popping the seal on the door - it'd sit open about an inch, let the cold air out and he hadn't noticed.
When I showed him, he busted up laughing and became an instant fast friend. Haha...he bragged me up all over town and really helped me become known.
A short time later he called about something else, then told me to just come on in - he and wife had to go somewhere for something and he'd leave the door unlocked. I declined and limited myself to my home area, JIC - he was in the neighboring town.
Late that afternoon he called again and asked if I had come out after all. "Nope," I said, "stayed in town all day." He was relieved - someone had entered his house and ripped him off for quite a bit of stuff and he was pretty upset. I had plenty of witnesses as to where I'd been all day, so was well clear.
Man, am I ever glad I'd refused to enter his home and stayed right away. My reputation was intact.