Your company
How Sample Heating & Air works, in Mike's words.
Glad you're here. Your first two weeks you ride with Ray. Nobody expects you to know our way of doing things yet, so ask. Calling is never the wrong move.
Mike, owner
Mike's rules
- Shoe covers on before you step inside. Every house, every time.
- If you didn't take a picture, it didn't happen. Before and after, every unit.
- Never guess a price. It comes off the flat-rate book on the tablet, and the customer says yes before you start.
- If you're stuck, call Ray. Guessing costs more than the call.
- No smoking or vaping on a customer's property.
- We don't talk down another company's work. Tell the customer what you found and show the photo.
What we expect on every job
- Call the customer when you're on the way, with a time you can keep.
- Explain what you found in plain words, and show the photo.
- Leave the work area cleaner than you found it.
- Notes and photos go in ServiceTitan before you leave the driveway, not at the end of the day.
- Ask for the review before you pull away. Same ask, every customer.
- You run calls on your own when Ray and Mike say you're ready, not before.
What to wear
- Company shirt, tucked in, clean every morning. Dana orders more when you need them.
- Work pants. No shorts inside a customer's house.
- Safety-toe boots.
- Name badge on where the customer can see it.
- Shoe covers in your pocket before you knock.
Your schedule
- Monday to Friday. Huddle at the shop at 7:15; first call by 8.
- On call one weekend a month from May through September, after your first 90 days. Ray sets the rotation.
- The van goes home with you only on your on-call weekend.
- Time off: ask Dana a week ahead, by text so it's written down.
Who to call
- Dana · Office managera schedule change, a parts order, or a customer's bill(504) 555-0140 · 8 to 5, Monday to Friday
- Ray · Lead techa technical question on a job, or anything on the stop-and-call list(504) 555-0141 · any time you're on a job
- Mike · Owneran injury, damage at a customer's house, or a customer who's upset(504) 555-0142 · any time
- On-call tech · After 5 and weekendsan after-hours call that comes to youthe on-call phone (number on the van visor card) · after 5 and weekends
How a call gets booked
- A customer calls. Dana answers 8 to 5; after 5 the call rolls to the on-call tech's cell.
- Dana books it in ServiceTitan with the address, the problem and the best phone number.
- It shows on your tablet the night before, or Dana texts you a same-day add.
- Read the notes before you drive, then call the customer when you're on the way.
- Find the problem, then price it from the flat-rate book on the tablet. The customer says yes before you start.
- Photos of every unit and your notes go in the job before you leave.
- Take the card on the tablet and ask for the review.
The truck checklist
Every morning before the first job. Ticks stay on this phone until you clear them.
Check yourself
Tap an answer to see the shop's answer. Nothing is saved or sent, and nobody sees what you picked. Talk any surprise through with your lead tech.
Meet the system: a ductless mini-split heat pump
Draft: waiting on a licensed HVAC tech to check it for this shop
Tap a part to see what it does, what fails and what you look at. Look, don't touch: every hands-on step comes after the safety stops.
Remote or wall controller
- What it does
- Tells the system what to do: the mode (cool, heat, dry, fan or auto), the setpoint and the fan speed. A hand remote talks to the indoor head by infrared; a wired wall controller talks through a thin cable.
- What fails
- Dead batteries, the wrong mode (heat, fan or dry when the customer wants cool), a setpoint above the room temperature, a timer or schedule left on, a head that doesn't answer it.
- What you look at
- Mode, setpoint, fan speed, timers. A blank screen: try fresh batteries. Point it at the head: does the head beep or light up? Many no-cooling calls end here.
Indoor wall head
- What it does
- Hangs high on the wall inside, on a mounting plate. It pulls room air in through the top, through the filters and across the coil, and blows it back out through the louvers along the bottom. The front panel lifts up to reach the filters. Lights on the front show it's on, and blink or show a code when something is wrong.
- What fails
- A blinking light or an error code, water dripping from the head, a musty smell, a head that has worked loose on its mounting plate.
- What you look at
- Is it lit and blowing air? A blinking light or a code: read it, write it down and photograph it; don't clear it. Water marks on the wall under it? Is it level and tight on its plate?
Filters
- What it does
- Fine mesh screens behind the front panel. They catch dust before it reaches the coil.
- What fails
- Packed with dust or pet hair: weak airflow, a coil that ices up, a head that drips.
- What you look at
- With the system off at the remote, lift the front panel and slide them out: how dirty are they? Shop rule: rinse and dry washable filters outside, never in the customer's sink; anything torn, report it.
Evaporator coil
- What it does
- Rows of thin fins over refrigerant tubing, right behind the filters. It takes heat out of the room air, and water from the air collects on it and drips into the drain pan.
- What fails
- Dirt and mold on the fins, ice (often from dirty filters or a refrigerant problem), bent fins.
- What you look at
- Look with a light. Ice on the coil: note it and call; don't chip it. Cleaning a coil is the way Ray shows you, with the bag kit and the shop's coil cleaner.
Blower wheel
- What it does
- A long drum of thin blades running the width of the head, behind the louvers. It turns to pull air through the coil and push it out into the room.
- What fails
- Dust and mold on the blades (black specks blowing out, a musty smell, weak air), a wheel out of balance (a wobble or a noise), a fan motor that stops.
- What you look at
- With the power off, shine a light up through the louvers: black buildup on the blades? Cleaning the wheel is Ray's procedure: a two-person job with the bag kit, never on your own in your first season. It is a trained job, not a first-day one.
Louvers
- What it does
- The vanes in the outlet that aim the air up, down and side to side. A small motor swings them.
- What fails
- Stuck or broken vanes, a vane motor that stops, water dripping off the vanes.
- What you look at
- Do they move when the remote says swing? Water on the vanes or droplets blowing out: note it, and check the filters and the condensate line.
Condensate line
- What it does
- Carries the water off the coil out of the head. Here it leaves with the line set and drains outside, downhill all the way. A head on an inside wall, where water can't run downhill to the outside, needs a small condensate pump to lift it.
- What fails
- Clogged with slime or algae, a line that sags or runs uphill, a pump that stops: water drips from the head or runs down the wall.
- What you look at
- Water dripping from the head or down the wall: look at the line's outside end. Does it drip while the system runs? If there's a pump, is it running and is its line clear? Clearing a line is the way Ray shows you on your first ride-along: wet-vac at the outside end, then flush.
Line set and cable
- What it does
- The copper lines between the outdoor unit and the head: the larger, insulated suction line and the smaller liquid line, plus the cable that carries power and the signal between the two units. Here they run in a cover on the wall.
- What fails
- Torn or missing insulation, kinks, oily spots at a joint (a possible leak), a cable that is chewed, cut or loose, a cover knocked off the wall.
- What you look at
- Look along the whole run. Ice or heavy sweat on the lines: note it and call. Don't open anything: only EPA Section 608-certified techs open the refrigerant circuit. Don't pull on the cable.
Wall sleeve
- What it does
- The sealed hole where the line set, the cable and the condensate line pass through the outside wall.
- What fails
- Gaps in the seal that let in water, air or insects; a line rubbing on the edge of the hole.
- What you look at
- Is it sealed all the way around? Daylight, water stains or bugs around it: note it and photograph it.
Outdoor unit
- What it does
- Moves the heat taken out of the house to the outside air, and runs in reverse to heat in winter. Inside: the inverter compressor, the inverter board, the fan behind the round grille, and the coil across the back.
- What fails
- A coil blocked by dirt, leaves or grass clippings, a fan that won't turn, a blinking light or a code on the board, heavy ice on the unit.
- What you look at
- With the remote calling for cooling: is the fan turning? Is the coil clear and the space around the unit open? Any code: read it, photograph it and report it; don't clear it. Panels stay on until the power is off, locked out and verified.
Inverter compressor
- What it does
- Pumps the refrigerant around the system. An inverter compressor speeds up and slows down to match what the house needs, instead of only switching on and off.
- What fails
- Won't start, runs loud, trips the breaker. A board or a refrigerant problem often shows up here first.
- What you look at
- Look and listen only. Compressor work, and anything under its terminal cover, is for trained techs.
Inverter board
- What it does
- The electronic control that drives the compressor and the fan. It shows error codes with a blinking light or a small display.
- What fails
- Burned parts, a failed board, a code that keeps coming back.
- What you look at
- Hands off. It can hold a dangerous charge after the power is off. Read and photograph any code. Board work only as trained, after the wait and the check in the manufacturer's instructions and Ray's rule: only Ray, or a tech Ray has signed off, opens an outdoor unit's board cover, and only after the wait and the check in that unit's service manual.
Service valves
- What it does
- Where the line set connects to the outdoor unit. The capped ports are where a certified tech connects gauges.
- What fails
- Leaking caps or cores, oily stains at the joints.
- What you look at
- Look, don't open. Under EPA Section 608, only certified techs open the refrigerant circuit, and that includes connecting gauges. Shop rule: only Ray, or a certified tech Ray names, opens a service port at this shop.
Outdoor disconnect
- What it does
- A shutoff on the wall near the outdoor unit, so the power can be shut off where you're working. The flexible whip carries power to the unit.
- What fails
- Corrosion, loose connections, a pulled-out or missing block, a damaged whip.
- What you look at
- Off and locked out, together with the breaker, before any panel comes off. Then the person qualified to verifies it with a meter.
Breaker
- What it does
- The breaker in the house panel that feeds the system.
- What fails
- Trips on an electrical fault or an overload. A breaker that trips again after a reset is telling you something.
- What you look at
- Find and label it before you start. Off, locked and tagged per the lockout rule below (your lock, your tag, only you take it off). Opening the panel cover is not a first-day task. Shop rule: you don't take a panel cover off until Ray has signed you off on it.
Pad or wall bracket
- What it does
- Holds the outdoor unit level and up off the ground: a pad on the ground, or brackets on the wall. Rubber feet cut the vibration.
- What fails
- A unit that is tilted, sunk, loose on its bracket, or sitting where water pools or yard debris piles up.
- What you look at
- Is it level and solid, with the bracket bolts tight? Does water drain away from it? Note anything loose. Don't stand on the unit or lean a ladder on it.
Step ladder
- What it does
- How you reach the head: it hangs high on the wall.
- What fails
- Bent rails, loose steps, unlocked spreaders. Most ladder falls are about setup, not the ladder.
- What you look at
- Inspect it, open it fully, lock the spreaders, follow the label on the highest step you may stand on, keep three points of contact, and move the ladder instead of reaching.
Check yourself
Tap an answer to see the shop's answer. Nothing is saved or sent, and nobody sees what you picked. Talk any surprise through with your lead tech.
Safety stops
Draft: waiting on a licensed HVAC tech to check it for this shop
In this order, every time. The drawing shows each stop; tap a step to see it.
Turn off the breaker that feeds the system. Lock and tag it per the lockout rule below (your lock, your tag, only you take it off). On many systems the indoor head gets its power through the cable from the outdoor unit; some heads have their own circuit. Find out which before you start.
Pull or switch off the disconnect at the outdoor unit and lock it out if it takes a lock. Breaker and disconnect, both.
Off is not proven until it's tested. The person qualified to do it checks the meter on a known live source, tests the circuit at the outdoor unit and at the head, then checks the meter again. Shop rule: while you ride along, Ray takes the readings and says each one out loud.
An inverter board can hold a dangerous charge after the power is off. Don't touch the board or its wiring. How long to wait and how to check it's safe come from the manufacturer's instructions and Ray's rule: only Ray, or a tech Ray has signed off, opens an outdoor unit's board cover, and only after the wait and the check in that unit's service manual, and only a trained tech does it. This page gives no wait time on purpose.
Only EPA Section 608-certified techs open the refrigerant circuit, including connecting gauges. Not certified? Leave the caps on, note what you see, and call it in.
The head is high on the wall. Inspect the ladder, open it fully, lock the spreaders, follow the label, keep three points of contact, and move the ladder instead of reaching. Never lean a ladder on the outdoor unit or the line set cover. Taking a head off its mounting plate, or working on a unit on a wall bracket, is Ray's job, with a second tech; you hold and hand up.
The coil, the blower wheel, the drain pan and the condensate line can grow mold and slime. Gloves and eye protection on before you reach in, a mask if your shop issues one, hands away from your face, and wash before you eat or drink. Cleaners only as the way Ray shows you, with the bag kit and the shop's coil cleaner says, with the power off.
This shop's lockout rule
Every tech carries a lock and tags in the van door pocket. The tag says your name, the date and DO NOT TURN ON. Only the person who put the lock on takes it off. Before anyone touches a wire: check the meter on a known live source, test the circuit, check the meter again.
Check yourself
Tap an answer to see the shop's answer. Nothing is saved or sent, and nobody sees what you picked. Talk any surprise through with your lead tech.
Mini-split not cooling: the checks before you call
Draft: waiting on a licensed HVAC tech to check it for this shop
Most calls that feel stuck end at one of these. Go in order, and stop at anything on the stop-and-call list.
Mode set to Cool (not Heat, Fan or Dry)? Setpoint below the room temperature? A timer or schedule on? A blank remote can be dead batteries. Point it at the head: does the head answer with a beep or a light?
With the system off at the remote, lift the front panel and look at the filters. Packed with dust? Shop rule: rinse and dry washable filters outside, never in the customer's sink; anything torn, report it.. Weak air from the louvers often ends here.
Is either one off or tripped? Reset a tripped breaker only as Mike allows: one reset, with the customer's OK. If it trips again, stop: that's a call, not a retry.
With the remote calling for cooling: is the outdoor fan turning? Is a light blinking or a code showing on the head or the outdoor unit? Read the code, photograph it and report it. Don't clear it or switch the power off and on to make it go away: the code is what the lead tech needs.
Water dripping from the head or running down the wall? Look at the condensate line's outside end: does it drip while the system runs? If there's a pump, is it running and is its line clear? Clearing a line is the way Ray shows you on your first ride-along: wet-vac at the outside end, then flush.
Ice on the line set, at the service valves or on the coil: note it, photograph it and call. Don't chip it.
Stop and call: don't fix these yourself
- Anything with refrigerant: gauges, a valve, a suspected leak (EPA 608 only)
- An error code on the head or the outdoor unit (read it and report it; don't clear it)
- Ice on the line set, the coil or the outdoor unit
- A breaker that trips again after a reset
- Burned, melted or scorched wiring, or anything on the inverter board
- Water coming through a wall or a ceiling
- Anything outside your training
How to reach the office
Have the address, what you checked and your photos ready.
- Dana · Office managera schedule change, a parts order, or a customer's bill(504) 555-0140 · 8 to 5, Monday to Friday
- Ray · Lead techa technical question on a job, or anything on the stop-and-call list(504) 555-0141 · any time you're on a job
- Mike · Owneran injury, damage at a customer's house, or a customer who's upset(504) 555-0142 · any time
- On-call tech · After 5 and weekendsan after-hours call that comes to youthe on-call phone (number on the van visor card) · after 5 and weekends
Check yourself
Tap an answer to see the shop's answer. Nothing is saved or sent, and nobody sees what you picked. Talk any surprise through with your lead tech.
Sign-off
The owner or lead tech ticks each section after going through it with the new tech: watched, understood, signed off by a name on a date. It stays on this device; print it for the file.
Nobody is scored or ranked. The sign-off is a person's judgment after a conversation, not a test result.