Simple Reason why DIY shouldn’t DIY.

[JoeJee]

I’m an HVAC tech so do some plumbing but not much. I got a new filtration system for my well (water softener, UV, new sediment filters...) So yesterday I started with moving over the pressure tank to make room. Got everything unhooked and hooked back up getting ready for the first pressure check before going further. This took forever that was expected. Pressurized the line and great, none of my connections leak but why am I seeing a drip of water. Silly elbow had a manufacturing defect and had a hairline crack. Fine, pull it all apart but the nipple stayed in the elbow... It was my only short nipple.

I was able to get one but I was cutting it close and risked not having water for the night/weekend. Lowe’s only showed they had one 1” nipple.

So, if someone is on the fence about doing their own water line, sometime it would be worth it to hire it out knowing their truck has all the extra parts of something goes wrong.

 

[Sylvan]

I had my van filled with fittings from 1/8 -2" TP copper adapters, black fittings for gas work, toilet repair parts including ball cocks, and Sloan Royal flushmeters and cable machines plus B@G Cirerculators, air vents steam, and HW and radiator valves from 1/2 -2"

Because I overloaded the Ford Super duty I had the rear end replaced 3 times and managed to get 5 MPG

When I decided to stop working every day I retired the van with 17,000 miles on the van

Bought brand new in 2002 retired in 2015

I saved a fortune avoiding traveling to and from supply houses

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jeff H Young]

hiring professionals to come out and do work is very expensive, the guy you get might be a hack and screw everything up , or be beyond expensive and be what I concider unethical crook. or a great mechanic with fair prices!
A few weeks ago I was installing a 50 gal gas waterheater in a garage a very basic install I accidently picked up some paper work I thought was mine but was 2 bids by large well known companys 2600 and 3000 dollars. then this week a customer told me 2 companys quoted 800 to replace an abs tub waste and overflow and p trap easily acessable in cieling of garage hole is aready there drywall patch by others its a 2 hour job tops plus 40 bucks parts.
Its a value judgement and dependant on ability as well. then there are people that let thier houses fall apart they dont care.
On sites like here we have many diy homeowners that feel they can/ or will do a better job than a pro and the understanding and value in being able to be self suffiecient in repair can be as valuable than the tons of money they may be saving.
but for most it means they might hire some things out but arent clueless about what is going on.
Small guys like me whether they have lic. or not will charge on av. 100 to 3o0 an hour on a flat rate and the guys with the pretty trucks and radio commercials charge at least double that 500 or 600 an hour pretty normal . they would replace the switch and tank too wouldnt hook up to that old stuff

 

[JoeJee]

I finally convinced my boss to buy me a 3/4 ton with a flat bed. That way we can stack boxes on the side til hold all of the stuff. HVAC is a lot different than plumbing but the need to carry a bunch of stuff is the same.

I do agree that it can be hard to find a good honest company to do repairs. I run into the same thing. Talked to someone the other day that had a disconnect replaced for their condenser. They were charged 600ish for the big name company to replace it. We charge 120-150 for the same thing...

 

[Jeff H Young]

as years and wear and tear pile on our bodys some day we will be stuck paying for certain things

 

[Fitter30]

Try never to deal with water late in the day when ever supply houses are going to be closed without having a good phone number to open . Problem with supply houses today need something odd they won't have it and nothing they have in stock will work. Old school supply houses 10 - 12 years ago started to eliminate any item that didn't sell one of in 90 days.

 

[JoeJee]

So I miss judged a line somehow and before I could re-adjust it set. Seriously, in normal temps 1” PEX-A does not give you much time to work; all I needed was about 3 seconds more. It is about an 1/8 - 1/16” off. Not far at all. Is this going to be a problem? I honestly don’t know how I am going to take it off it is.

 

[Terry]

That's going to be fine.

 

[JoeJee]

That's going to be fine.

thank you for the prompt response. This is the first time working with 1” Pex-A and it is a bit different than pvc or copper. So far I like it and it has a higher flow rate than 3/4 copper; takes up a bunch of room though.