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The old timer at the parts counter in Bakersfield told me to check the dryer vent before ordering a new heating element, saved me $60
Honestly I almost didn't listen. Had a dryer last Tuesday that was running but not heating, classic no heat call. I was ready to just order a heating element and be done with it. The guy at the parts counter, Walt, he's been there 30 years, he asked me if I checked the vent first. I said yeah it's clear, he said check it anyway with a manometer. Turns out the vent run had a crushed section behind the dryer I couldn't see from the front, airflow was down to basically nothing, thermal fuse was fine but the high limit kept tripping. Cleared the crush and the thing heated right up, customer paid $85 for the service call instead of $200+ for parts and labor. Walt's been right every single time he's given me advice like that. Now I check airflow before I even pull the back panel off. Anybody else got a parts guy like that who's saved your butt more than once?
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andrew_miller907d ago
How many guys actually own a manometer though? That's the part nobody talks about. Walt can tell you to check airflow all day but if you show up with just a flashlight and a screwdriver you're guessing. I grabbed a cheap digital one off Amazon for like 40 bucks and keep it in the van, reads in inches of water column, takes ten seconds to check static pressure at the vent. Best money I ever spent because now I can prove to the customer their vent is the problem instead of just telling them. Same deal with gas pressure, once you start actually measuring instead of eyeballing you stop throwing parts at stuff. Walt was right but half his value is that he made you go measure it instead of assuming.
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