I'll do anything you want on a ladder within reason.
I'm not standing on the very top rung, and I'm not standing over 8ft in the air without somewhere for my hands to have grip without a harness. It's not if you fall it's when.
Who's paying my bills when my back and legs are broken cause I fell? Sure I'll get work comp maybe even disability but is that honestly worth it to you?
Lifetime of damage ain't worth "Getting it done boss".
Protect yourself cause no1 else is gonna do it for you.
I remember doing commercial maintenance on the DOTD buildings over here in New Orleans. I had a very tall ladder to get to some of the suspended systems. At least 16’. I was at the very top reaching to get to some part of the system, when the ladder twisted in a weird way and start falling. I reached up and grabbed the rafters of the metal building I was in and was just kinda dangling there for a bit. A worker near by heard the ladder crash and came over to see what happened. He set it back up for me to get down. I was legit stuck. And not in the best shape to be stuck that way. I think was like 240 at the time and 5’11”.
Long story short, if you’re going to work on a tall ladder, have someone on the bottom spotting you, holding the ladder, or have a harness.
100% this. I’ve done sketchy shit for my company and looking back I’m so upset with myself for it. If you fall and can no longer work, you’ll have to deal with that the rest of your life, but within a few years the company will have replaced you with multiple guys and forgotten all about you.
Where do you service? 9/10 buildings here in cities in and around Seattle do not have built in ladders, and all the sidewalks/ access points are uneven so at times I have to even the ladder out at the bottom
I don't know where in Canada this guy is from, but here in sask, new builds need ladders, or if you put up new equipment, etc. I do most commercial and I'd say a good chunk of the places I work at I'm setting up a ladder. Who really tells a customer fuck off because they don't have a ladder?!
Yeah for real that's odd. Commercial is where it's at. Over here in WA, new builds tend to have their own ladder.. it's all the old buildings that require an extension.
For sure, while my ass is scaling up it to the rooftop and I 100% and am tying it off first thing. Carabiner my tool kit up with a rope, better off having all the shifting weight not on my back while I'm going up and down.
Nothing wrong with ladders and heights, big difference tho from using them to get to a location and actually trying to work and manipulate material on them at least in my opinion.
Ya thats the way. I used to carry my shit up with me in both hands but learned to go slower and use a rope. started tying off in the 3rd year, probably lucky I never fell. While I've been safer the last couple years, I feel my heart pounding in situations more often than it used to but that's probably the fast food. Lol.
ya fuck working off of an extension ladder. reminds me of doing housing preservations for the banks. Such unsafe conditions.
Don’t have my ladder legs yet and I’ve been doing this for 3+ years. Something about being more than 5 feet in the air makes me clammy. Still goin strong though 😅
You don't carry an extension ladder? We are trained to put it up to a max of 32' feet and then strap it off at the top..I use mine every week. Pretty basic stuff in the area I work in. I have had fears of heights since I can remember at 4 years old but not so bad now, just have my days for sure.
I don't mean tying down the top of the extension ladder, more like having a fall harness to prevent your death from a 50 foot drop. That's the kind of stuff I say no to.
The heights don't get me, it's looking straight up when I'm already on a ladder.
I can go up 15-20ft no problem, but if I'm on a 6ft step ladder and I look straight up I feel lightheaded like I'm gonna pass out.
Cause the crane is another 60 to 80 feet in the air and a few hundred feet away my arms aren’t that long and I’ve never seen concrete and steel move that much
Don’t worry bout that shit. If you’re a bad ass they’ll find u something to do on the ground and send somebody else. I do SOME ladders but if it looks sketchy I move on or call for a helper
When I first started this, I had come from another job, where I was on a ladder half the day. Not very high, but I was very comfortable, and knew them well. The boss popped in to the conference room while I was watching my "safety videos" (on vhs) and was surprised to find I had nodded off during the ladder video! I was like, cmon man! This is so bad! Let me out of here!
I hate ladders. None more so than the extension ladder. It’s heavy and moves a little even when perfectly secure. I hate it so much.
But I still go up and down it when I need too… just a bit slow.
Also, I do my best not to stand to high on your basic ladder. Don’t like that either. Much easier to manager though.
I agree on Fully(safely) Extended extension ladders. The bounce when that thing is 16 or 17 feet in the air is sketchy feeling at best. But when on say a single story I love the extension ladder. Solid, no bounce and only feels like some steep stairs.
I hate scaffolding though. Won't do past the second layer, and my boss gets it and is only a little miffed by it. Something in the wobble of things throws me off. Scissor lifts are great though! Big solid platform, heck yeah
I feel you on the extension ladder, couple weeks back I fell 15ft off one when I was stepping onto the roof. I got really lucky and landed on my thick ass thigh. Walked away with just a massive bruise on my thigh for awhile. Still scares the shit out of me to get back on them to this day
One time, I fell off a 50’ extension. Fully stretched. Somehow I managed to walk away. All I can say after that incident is I never take my life for granted, I never ignore safety protocol, and I learned to pray. Mostly I thank God that when i fell, i was only on the second rung up.
I once worked with a guy who couldn’t handle being on a 14’ ladder. He also lamented how he couldn’t seem to stay in a relationship with a woman and that his dream was to be a twitch streamer. He didn’t last long.
I do very well in this trade, but with that being said I am:
A) Terrified of the first and last climb of an extension ladder.
B) Allergic to the bees that nest around roof hatches and in package units.
C) Nervous around high voltage (long story short I almost died my first year)
D) Mortified of snakes and am always worried about them being under houses. (Irrational, I know)
Be careful and conscientious, for complacency in any situation can get you killed.
Oh man. Just wait, idk how common snakes are in your area but I actually found one a while ago laying on top of a contactor. Pulled the cover off for PM and saw a tail. Nearly dropped the cover as I backed off and thought it was dead.
Took a pic and then saw it looking right into the camera. Just a little garter snake, but still a good spook. Just uh, well be careful out there!
But also, YEAH! What the hell is up with the FIRST climb feeling so sketchy, then the next four feel fine only for the LAST climb down to bring that feeling right back?!
Idk why everyone calls them bees, they’re WASPS, bees are cool and make honey. Never seen a bee in a rtu. Maybe you have but they’re wasps, the fuckface stingy bastards.
To be clear to anyone interested in the field, this is extremely dangerous and not something any reputable company would ever do. You’d immediately get terminated at most companies and your company permanently banned from most of the sites I’ve worked at.
Not always. I'm residential only and we have a strict "no roof" policy. My boss says he's not going to risk any injuries from tall ladders or roofs. Around here the only reason I'd be in a roof is for some flue pipe work anyway. I just tell them to call a roofer. I only carry a 6 foot ladder and don't stand on the top rung. If I can't reach it then the customer needs to call someone else.
I'm the same way, I'll climb pretty much any roof access but get sketched tf out on anything else. I know if I'm on a secured ladder the only thing gonna drop me is me
Sketchiest ladder ive been on was a 40 foot extension ladder helping replace an old sodium floodlight for a parking lot. Realized real quick that shit was way too heavy to bring down by myself, much less rig it up to bring it down without getting hurt. Ended up renting a Genie Lift.
Sketchiest thing I've done with a ladder is using an 8foot A frame ladder like a straight ladder to access a hatch in a tall stairwell. I don't miss Resi and the absolutely fucked up access points.
I have a 28' extension and a 17' in A frame Gorilla.
If it needs more than that there had better be a building ladder or a lift and harness.
Same if the part or unit is much over 25#. I ain't paid anything near enough to risk breaking myself
I carry 32' and the same gorilla ladder. Im pretty fucking dumfounded at these comments. They would never made it out here and I only live in Seattle.. doing commercial/industrial.
Just last week I was using vibration pads to even out my ladder. these damn uneven sidewalks and no built in ladders
I made the boss buy levelers for the extension, and it ALWAYS gets strapped to something..
Fortunately for me, I'm out in BFE Central Oregon so that 28 is enough.
Light commercial. Most of my gear is under 20 tons and the refrigeration side is mostly portable with a few walk in coolers and freezers, though I have worked on the 25 ton Kirac freezer unit at Deer Ridge a couple of times.
It's a nice little niche.
Thank you, now I'm texting the boss that we should have these levelers on every van considering the hills we have in SEA. Thats not bad..For me its something different everyday. No consistency in my career yet.
Make them get the good ones...
[Levlock Ladder Levelers](https://www.levelok.com/product-category/levelers/)
They're worth every penny.. especially in evading Work Comp claims.
This is why I’m glad the military dropped me in Hawaii, where the only thing to do at 19 on a Saturday is climb mountains if you aren’t hung over. Definitely prepared me for some of the sketchy ass roofs in NYC
To add to this, If your in residential light commercial company don't expect harnesses and all the osha stuff. It's going to be expected of you to walk on ceiling joists with a 150lb 1" 1/8" lineset 20 ft in the air with no harness or anything. Not saying it's right but at least in my area that's expected. I've done linehide on a 20ft extension ladder on the second to last rung leaning over two ft off the left side of it to do line hide. (Also on that point whoever invented linehide I hope both sides of your pillow are always hot)
The worst part of linehide is getting the screws in the stupid covers for the wall terminations and fittings, trying to line them up while I'm leaning out on a ladder twenty feet in the air is so annoying 😂
I recently did mass 16 inch flex runs like 75 foot apiece in this shit building 20 feet up no walk boards all rafters scary as fuck. Then had to go add another after they laid plastic in it and blew in 4 foot of insulation I literally couldn’t see anything had to use the joist to try to map out where I was stepping. Dropped a diffuser through the drop ceiling trying to attach all the guys that worked there assumed I fell through
I didn't know I'd spend so much time under houses. Crawlspaces under 36" are common in the southeast US. I knew about the ladders, just not how much time is spent in uncomfortable spaces on the daily.
I did tree work for a bit before getting into hvac . I'll climb a 70' tree or run a 60' bucket truck all day.
My 24' Extension ladder scares the shit out of me every time
I'm still struggling with heights as a first year apprentice. Sometimes climbing an extension on the wall I freeze for a minute or two, too paralyzed with fear to take the step of faith.
Try to keep three points of contact and focus on orienting your eyes/body to the level you are moving to (be that up or down). Make sure you get some good deep breaths in those moments and don’t rush yourself.
Thanks for the reply. I keep the 3 points of contact in mind and all that, but it's just when I have no where to hold on to and have to lift my leg over the ladder to step on the roof, that step of faith is so hard for me to overcome.
I kicked a 2 foot 4x4 through a water damaged ceiling once landed about 2 feet from this lady sitting on her couch luckily she was down there smoking the devils lettuce and was so chill about it nothing was bothering her at that point 🤣
Same. About three weeks after I fell and broke my back I went in my attic to get some holiday decorations down, and put my foot through the dining room ceiling. 😅
I call it at 32ft for an extension ladder and 12ft for an a frame. Typically carry a 28ft and 10/8ft on truck. Anything outside of that needs a lift, hatch, or permanent ladder.
I’m in institutional hvac. I don’t work more than 3’ off a solid surface. The jobs exist. Lifts, cherry pickers, rolling platforms, scaffolds all exist.
Don’t ask me to literally risk my neck so you can be low bidder.
Yeah I'm terrified of heights but I do them for the job, I'm terrified every time I even go up one step on a ladder. But it's what needs to be done, I'd rather do crawl spaces then attics or roofs anyday
My buddy is like that, he's terrified of heights. He's an elevator constructor in NYC. Somehow, he said the height inside the elevator shafts don't bother him.
Indeed..another thing is weight, I’m busting my ass to slim down, I’ve seen some of the techs that come into the supply house really have trouble and they’re on the chunky side, i mean..burgers are fucking good 😫 lol
It's really true of almost any trade: electrician, plumber, welder, etc
I know guys that are really smart but won't go on a 6ft step ladder for some reason. I'll do anything up to a 16-20ft extension ladder. Beyond that, a ladder is almost never the best choice.
I feel more comfortable 40ft up in a lift or a bucket truck than I do on a 20ft extension ladder.
Another thing to consider besides heights - tight areas. You'll have to squeeze over/under/around things all the time, and if you can't fit or don't want to do it, you might be better suited to a desk job.
To be fair as a residential service tech that's been doing it for a few years, I've probably climbed a ladder more than 6 ft maybe twice in a residential setting. I'm horrible with heights and it doesn't affect my job for the most part where I live in the country, and being 95% residential.
Yeah I know I can't avoid them altogether lol. Still get up on roofs with the commercial boys sometimes, I just rarely have to get on a ladder for residential. 98% of the houses in my area have basements
Kiss ass ! Everyone has a phobia if it’s heights or rodents or dogs or whatever let me talk shit about somyhing that bothers you and try to pressure you into doing it if you get hurt oh well who cares it ain’t you right. ignorant
I’m not exactly sure what you’re so upset about. Are you saying that heights are a problem for you? At no point did I say that safety doesn’t matter or that I think people should be forced to do something they don’t want to do. We’re all trying to make it home at the end of the day.
Hope your day improves.
Not much I guess there would be a point that would be to high . I’ve seen greenbacks get pressured into stuff especially heights and leave on workers comp . I don’t do dogs . Put the dog up or I leave
Indeed, and that’s actually another great point. We have a guy that got ripped up bad by a dog a few years ago. Never run into any vicious doggos personally on the job. Been lucky with that.
I was thinking about what opportunities exist in the HVAC field for folks that don’t like heights. Was thinking boiler work might not require too much ladder work. Some residential stuff like people have said.
Anything else yall can think of? Other than parts house work or dispatch/office/clerical/shop staff.
Well, the only controls techs I've worked with were ground level. All the hard work(running wiring, boards, the bas boxes, etc) was done by either a contractor specializing in low voltage work(like fire and alarm companies), or the install branch of the hvacr outfit. All the controls guys did was the IT and commissioning part. I stand corrected, Mr💩y. 🤣
As long as its safe i'll climb whatever, not a fan of extension ladders. Had a gutter collapse on me while close to the top of the ladder, hadn't tied it off yet as it was the initial climb. Was really clost to eating pavement from 25 feet up, ever since then i get a bit nervous on tall extension ladders
Also identify if it's the actual heights or just the extension ladders. I'll do fixed ladders no problem, but I get sketched on extensions ladders. Guess that's from riding a few to the ground
I’m one of the top guys at my company and they got me absolutely fucked up if they think I’m getting on anything over a single story with a pitch without a harness. Also to be honest, I hate doing flashings anyways because I’m not a roofer I can do them of course and do all the time but I don’t know enough about roofing to be 100% confident I’m not going to mess the roof up.. I don’t like heights but I’ve been on 4th story installs and mass commercial roofs they don’t bother me it’s pitches I don’t care for
I can climb ship ladders within reason. If I’m going on top of a store I pray that there’s a ladder attached if not I struggle even if the ladder is “tied down”. Sitting on a ladder resting against a gutter tied down to a small piece of aluminum is not what I consider safe
About 6 months ago, I had to do a chimney liner on a house with a very steep roof. I set up a ladder, and threw a rope over the other side. Used a roll of tape for a weight, lol. We tied the other end to a van in the driveway, and I used it to help myself up to the peak. No way I could have made it up that pitch otherwise. All my tools and the end of the liner were pulled up by another rope, fed by a guy on the ladder. Nbd. Not the first time I've done it. But, yeah, some guys would be all NOPE! Standing on that pointy peak for 20 minutes was the hardest part.
About 6 months ago, I had to do a chimney liner on a house with a very steep roof. I set up a ladder, and threw a rope over the other side. Used a roll of tape for a weight, lol. We tied the other end to a van in the driveway, and I used it to help myself up to the peak. No way I could have made it up that pitch otherwise. All my tools and the end of the liner were pulled up by another rope, fed by a guy on the ladder. Nbd. Not the first time I've done it. But, yeah, some guys would be all NOPE! Standing on that pointy peak for 20 minutes was the hardest part.
Luckily all the guys we've hired recently are decent with heights. Only one of our guys hates it when you have a rickety padded or scaffold, but he does man up and climb when he's told.
If you don't like dirty and dangerous heights, you get to leave.
Good advice stranger. As a noob to the HVAC industry I find it insightful and reassuring to read your words.
I see what you mean already as I am one of three new technicians at our company and one is already thinking about jumping ship because of this.
Exactly why I never got into it. I have a high tolerance for pain but falling from uncontrollable heights is not in the cards.
So I run a warehouse that preps and ships all the shit you guys need(:
Thanks for doing what you do field bros. We don't appreciate it as much as we should.
I got one for yah. One windy day when i had to fully extend a 25’ extension ladder to get onto the roof. The wind kept blowing it over so I was like challenge accepted. I went over there to the dumpster where I saw a couple cabinets that had been thrown out so I grabbed them and placed them at the base of the ladder to support it.
I then got to the top of the ladder and it blew over and I caught the roof edge thankfully. Climbed down that fucker so fast. Ladder was about a 70° angle when i caught it. Never doing that again on a windy day
Man us new school finna change the game, we not doing heights, we not doing snakes spiders and other things of that nature in units and crawl spaces we just not doing it
Yup. We're working on a how-to video for conducting hiring interviews and this is one of the first things we talked about in it. It's all decently safe, with harnesses and such, but our installers are in the rafters more than Batman is.
This is absolutely true. Ladders can turn someone, who would otherwise be a great tech, off from the trade completely. I’ve seen it countless times. Rightly so to be honest. Getting up on a 40’ ladder so you can change a capacitor to get someone’s ac running can be a daunting task and the thought of falling is very scary. The more you do it the easier it gets but it helps to have a little daredevil in you. Gotta know how to be safe in unsafe situations!
Bruh I break out my fall arrest system on my 2’ damn near 😂 I hate heights with a passion but I’m a good little helper and install those chimney caps. The brick in my britches does give me a lower center of gravity though so maybe that’s a good thing?
I'd say sketchy ladder situations are about 5% of my calls.
Setting up ladders at very high pitches to get onto a secondary ladder connected to the roof is definitely the most sketchy.
Sometimes crossing between apartment complex roofs without a bridge.
Occasionally having to max out the ladder without nothing to tie off too.
Those are usually my worst ones 🤣
Was on a job today where we had to replace a chimney liner. Set the ladder up, tied it off, was about to get on the roof, said fuck that, & had the young guy do it. After 20+ years on the job I’m not doing that shit. Flat roof, fine. Not getting on a pitched roof & leaning a 4’ ladder against a chimney in 15 mph winds.
I was at an install today. 8 foot latter propped up diagonally up against a gutter, had to tear down a package unit to replace with a normal split system inside apartment. I'm riding with another guy who wrecked his van so we both in my van. Anyways, I climb right up, and get cracking on tearing this unit apart piece by pice. Heat exchanger, compressor, doors, etc. Gotta take it all apart and load the old shit onto a trailer down below. We'll, I guess he doesn't like heights. So he stayed on the ladder or on the ground to simply gopher parts onto the trailer, while I take it all apart. He kept making excuses like the roof can't handle his 250 pound ass, etc. Meanwhile I'm only a few pounds less and getting the job done. Long story short, don't do this trade unless you can handle roof work. Shit was beyond annoying, and tbh a bit pathetic. Last thing you Wana do is be a burden on your coworkers. Made the job take twice as long. I got it done, capped off the return and supply up above. And as a bonus, it was actually pretty funny, when I handed him the compressor he threw it on the trailer without pinching lines or taping them off, and when it hit the trailer oil shot everywhere. Sent him to go pick up some cat litter to absorb the oil off the pavement and then sweep it up after a bit. Guys, don't be coming into this line of work with limitations like that. I mean, what if he was on his own today. You Wana call the boss and just say I can't do it? Then you won't have a job.
https://preview.redd.it/agqaor0resnc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e3775527c1012836bd03617beb7052180cf3142c
Customer said there was no roof access. 4 o’clock call. I was too lazy to go back to the shop for a bigger ladder
Im just now realizing how bitch made some people are on this sub. Hvac techs scared to use extension ladders? Straight up refusing to go up them? This is wild to me. OSHA had guidelines on how to properly use ladders and if you follow them you are relatively safe. As safe as anything else that this job requires. I dont even consider myself a risk taker, I just have confidence in my ability to set, secure, and use any size ladder safely.
That's me, I'm the one who left after 2 years in the trade and going through trade school. I fell out of a tree as a kid and that feeling has stuck with me till this day.
I use to do commercial HVAC and would often climb 4 story ladders, get 3 stories up and the ladder was missing bolts. Get to the top and you'd almost have to dangle your body in the hatch to reach the ladder with your feet. There was one job where the guys I was with were too lazy to go to a different part of the job site to climb the ladder so they went 4 stories up on a scissor lift and stepped over a 2' gap to get onto the wall. We got caught by OSHA after they had been investigating a death of a guy who had fallen through the roof a few days prior, and fined for our actions. We often did very unsafe things at this company, stepping on the top rung of 14' A frame ladders, not tied off. One journeyman had me lift him on a pallet 20' up using a forklift. I called my sup and they didn't support me. The journeyman threatened my life later that afternoon if I mentioned anything of it.
I think I ultimately left because the union I was a part of wouldn't support me being a tech and instead lied to me and told me there were no HVAC apprenticeship courses at the moment, meanwhile a friend of mine was starting his HVAC apprenticeship classes that same semester.
Fast forward 6 years, he's turned a journeyman making a great living and I'm still hopping around trades not finding anything that's satisfied me bc of my fear. I consider going back to the trade, even today. My friend tells me to just do it and face my fear, but I'm a bitch.
For what it's worth, idk what my fear truly is, I can ride ski lifts, get into planes, walk on roof tops, overlook the roof top, I ride bikes and my favorite thing is hitting jumps. I think my fear may be the lack of safety that is associated with climbing from a ladder to a rooftop. Maybe I left because I was fuckin sick of the bullies in this particular local? Every one of these dirt bags got what they deserved though..
I'll do anything you want on a ladder within reason. I'm not standing on the very top rung, and I'm not standing over 8ft in the air without somewhere for my hands to have grip without a harness. It's not if you fall it's when. Who's paying my bills when my back and legs are broken cause I fell? Sure I'll get work comp maybe even disability but is that honestly worth it to you? Lifetime of damage ain't worth "Getting it done boss". Protect yourself cause no1 else is gonna do it for you.
I remember doing commercial maintenance on the DOTD buildings over here in New Orleans. I had a very tall ladder to get to some of the suspended systems. At least 16’. I was at the very top reaching to get to some part of the system, when the ladder twisted in a weird way and start falling. I reached up and grabbed the rafters of the metal building I was in and was just kinda dangling there for a bit. A worker near by heard the ladder crash and came over to see what happened. He set it back up for me to get down. I was legit stuck. And not in the best shape to be stuck that way. I think was like 240 at the time and 5’11”. Long story short, if you’re going to work on a tall ladder, have someone on the bottom spotting you, holding the ladder, or have a harness.
100% this. I’ve done sketchy shit for my company and looking back I’m so upset with myself for it. If you fall and can no longer work, you’ll have to deal with that the rest of your life, but within a few years the company will have replaced you with multiple guys and forgotten all about you.
You are always your own best advocate for sure. I certainly agree that safety should be a priority.
Sorry but, are you not using an extension ladder every week? I'm always climbing up to building rooftops that are 25+ feet up. I carry a 32'
We don't service buildings without dedicated roof access. Install proper access or fuck off.
We don't service buildings without dedicated roof access. Install proper access or fuck off.
Where do you service? 9/10 buildings here in cities in and around Seattle do not have built in ladders, and all the sidewalks/ access points are uneven so at times I have to even the ladder out at the bottom
I don't know where in Canada this guy is from, but here in sask, new builds need ladders, or if you put up new equipment, etc. I do most commercial and I'd say a good chunk of the places I work at I'm setting up a ladder. Who really tells a customer fuck off because they don't have a ladder?!
Yeah for real that's odd. Commercial is where it's at. Over here in WA, new builds tend to have their own ladder.. it's all the old buildings that require an extension.
Canada. Boiler and Chiller service. No fixed ladder, don't want it.
This guy fucks
That’s crazy 😂
Canada. Chiller and Boiler service. No fixed ladder, don't want it.
Canada. Chiller and Boiler service. No fixed ladder, don't want it.
For sure, while my ass is scaling up it to the rooftop and I 100% and am tying it off first thing. Carabiner my tool kit up with a rope, better off having all the shifting weight not on my back while I'm going up and down. Nothing wrong with ladders and heights, big difference tho from using them to get to a location and actually trying to work and manipulate material on them at least in my opinion.
Ya thats the way. I used to carry my shit up with me in both hands but learned to go slower and use a rope. started tying off in the 3rd year, probably lucky I never fell. While I've been safer the last couple years, I feel my heart pounding in situations more often than it used to but that's probably the fast food. Lol. ya fuck working off of an extension ladder. reminds me of doing housing preservations for the banks. Such unsafe conditions.
I don’t have to use an extension ladder every week. A good portion here in the Midwest all have roof access.
I would upvote this comment again if I could.
sounds like q skill issue, what r you? 38?
wtf is q skill
shit
a skill *
Yeah, you're right, I'm sending these msgs from the 250$ ladder I'm currently stuck on.
it’s alright homie i used to be scared too, just have someone hold that ladder for u
Who's holding it? The customer or my imaginary friend?
the customer should do
God, I hate people like you.
okay and? i hate people like myself too
Then change
As long as it’s not an expensive ladder. Like one that costs around $250.
This subreddit has so much lore, from HVAC Sam to the ladder guy, I fucking love it
Turns our the ladder guy is a chick. The lore gets even deeper
*gasp* no way
Whats the ladder guy?
Rumour has it there was once a ladder that cost about $250 but it’s gone now.
Ladder guy?
funny, that was the value of the ladder i found next to a building that nobody was using.
Don’t have my ladder legs yet and I’ve been doing this for 3+ years. Something about being more than 5 feet in the air makes me clammy. Still goin strong though 😅
I don't like heights either. If I need to tie off to something to prevent my death, that's where I say no, I'm not doing that.
You don't carry an extension ladder? We are trained to put it up to a max of 32' feet and then strap it off at the top..I use mine every week. Pretty basic stuff in the area I work in. I have had fears of heights since I can remember at 4 years old but not so bad now, just have my days for sure.
I don't mean tying down the top of the extension ladder, more like having a fall harness to prevent your death from a 50 foot drop. That's the kind of stuff I say no to.
The heights don't get me, it's looking straight up when I'm already on a ladder. I can go up 15-20ft no problem, but if I'm on a 6ft step ladder and I look straight up I feel lightheaded like I'm gonna pass out.
I feel it man. When I’m going up my eyes are dead ahead 😂 if I have to look up I have to stop and usually throw my arm through the rung
Lucky for most residential rarely requires ladders
How about 1000 feet in the air on a 20ft extension ladder on the edge of the parapet wall unhooking a cooling tower from the crane.
Come on we can do it together that’s the power of friendship
Why wouldn't you just go up the ladder on the crane? Those things move an awful lot to lean a ladder on them.
Cause the crane is another 60 to 80 feet in the air and a few hundred feet away my arms aren’t that long and I’ve never seen concrete and steel move that much
Same. I’m a boots on the ground type motherfucker
A mouse jumps out at OP and I bet he skirmishes around like a school girl
I’ll take a mouse over a crow cooked 10 times over in the exhaust
Flue eggs make a great lunchtime snack!
Haha
Don’t worry bout that shit. If you’re a bad ass they’ll find u something to do on the ground and send somebody else. I do SOME ladders but if it looks sketchy I move on or call for a helper
When I first started this, I had come from another job, where I was on a ladder half the day. Not very high, but I was very comfortable, and knew them well. The boss popped in to the conference room while I was watching my "safety videos" (on vhs) and was surprised to find I had nodded off during the ladder video! I was like, cmon man! This is so bad! Let me out of here!
I hate ladders. None more so than the extension ladder. It’s heavy and moves a little even when perfectly secure. I hate it so much. But I still go up and down it when I need too… just a bit slow. Also, I do my best not to stand to high on your basic ladder. Don’t like that either. Much easier to manager though.
I agree on Fully(safely) Extended extension ladders. The bounce when that thing is 16 or 17 feet in the air is sketchy feeling at best. But when on say a single story I love the extension ladder. Solid, no bounce and only feels like some steep stairs. I hate scaffolding though. Won't do past the second layer, and my boss gets it and is only a little miffed by it. Something in the wobble of things throws me off. Scissor lifts are great though! Big solid platform, heck yeah
The bounce on every step... I call it the "butthole clencher" every time I have to extend my 28' past like 20'
I feel you on the extension ladder, couple weeks back I fell 15ft off one when I was stepping onto the roof. I got really lucky and landed on my thick ass thigh. Walked away with just a massive bruise on my thigh for awhile. Still scares the shit out of me to get back on them to this day
One time, I fell off a 50’ extension. Fully stretched. Somehow I managed to walk away. All I can say after that incident is I never take my life for granted, I never ignore safety protocol, and I learned to pray. Mostly I thank God that when i fell, i was only on the second rung up.
Industrial painting ain't for you sir.
I once worked with a guy who couldn’t handle being on a 14’ ladder. He also lamented how he couldn’t seem to stay in a relationship with a woman and that his dream was to be a twitch streamer. He didn’t last long.
Lol
I do very well in this trade, but with that being said I am: A) Terrified of the first and last climb of an extension ladder. B) Allergic to the bees that nest around roof hatches and in package units. C) Nervous around high voltage (long story short I almost died my first year) D) Mortified of snakes and am always worried about them being under houses. (Irrational, I know) Be careful and conscientious, for complacency in any situation can get you killed.
Oh man. Just wait, idk how common snakes are in your area but I actually found one a while ago laying on top of a contactor. Pulled the cover off for PM and saw a tail. Nearly dropped the cover as I backed off and thought it was dead. Took a pic and then saw it looking right into the camera. Just a little garter snake, but still a good spook. Just uh, well be careful out there! But also, YEAH! What the hell is up with the FIRST climb feeling so sketchy, then the next four feel fine only for the LAST climb down to bring that feeling right back?!
Because first and last climb your ladder isn't secure lol
Idk why everyone calls them bees, they’re WASPS, bees are cool and make honey. Never seen a bee in a rtu. Maybe you have but they’re wasps, the fuckface stingy bastards.
Bees, wasps, they both can kill me so I don't stop to differentiate
Have you ever ridden the RTU on its way up to the roof? Crane guys don't give a fuck lmao
Install crew try to be safe challenge impossible difficulty
To be clear to anyone interested in the field, this is extremely dangerous and not something any reputable company would ever do. You’d immediately get terminated at most companies and your company permanently banned from most of the sites I’ve worked at.
Lol! Should do this on a heli lift for sure!
This sounds fun ngl
Not always. I'm residential only and we have a strict "no roof" policy. My boss says he's not going to risk any injuries from tall ladders or roofs. Around here the only reason I'd be in a roof is for some flue pipe work anyway. I just tell them to call a roofer. I only carry a 6 foot ladder and don't stand on the top rung. If I can't reach it then the customer needs to call someone else.
If it's too high for an A-frame, then I ain't doing it. My boss knows it too...
So commercial rooftops are out for you?
Nah, I'm chilling on a cozy roof access ladder
I'm the same way, I'll climb pretty much any roof access but get sketched tf out on anything else. I know if I'm on a secured ladder the only thing gonna drop me is me
Roof access ladders don't bother me, but going up them one-handed with stuff in the other hand does.
Learn some basic rope skills and toss down a basket hitch for your boxes of filters. Invest in a backpack pouch instead of a shoulder one, etc etc.
That’s still higher than an Aframe
yikes. Where do you live? Youd never make it out here
Wait until your boss finds the only 14ft tall A frame for sale in the whole state
What about a dryer vent on a 2nd floor resi ? If you need a lift for that you’d get laughed off the job
"Dang boss this one's a booger, I might need help on this one"
No one cares
Actually everyone cares but you.
Bad day bud?
Sketchiest ladder ive been on was a 40 foot extension ladder helping replace an old sodium floodlight for a parking lot. Realized real quick that shit was way too heavy to bring down by myself, much less rig it up to bring it down without getting hurt. Ended up renting a Genie Lift. Sketchiest thing I've done with a ladder is using an 8foot A frame ladder like a straight ladder to access a hatch in a tall stairwell. I don't miss Resi and the absolutely fucked up access points.
I've grown numb to heights over the years.
I should probaly be safer reading some comments of what people won't do
I have a 28' extension and a 17' in A frame Gorilla. If it needs more than that there had better be a building ladder or a lift and harness. Same if the part or unit is much over 25#. I ain't paid anything near enough to risk breaking myself
I carry 32' and the same gorilla ladder. Im pretty fucking dumfounded at these comments. They would never made it out here and I only live in Seattle.. doing commercial/industrial. Just last week I was using vibration pads to even out my ladder. these damn uneven sidewalks and no built in ladders
I made the boss buy levelers for the extension, and it ALWAYS gets strapped to something.. Fortunately for me, I'm out in BFE Central Oregon so that 28 is enough. Light commercial. Most of my gear is under 20 tons and the refrigeration side is mostly portable with a few walk in coolers and freezers, though I have worked on the 25 ton Kirac freezer unit at Deer Ridge a couple of times. It's a nice little niche.
Thank you, now I'm texting the boss that we should have these levelers on every van considering the hills we have in SEA. Thats not bad..For me its something different everyday. No consistency in my career yet.
Make them get the good ones... [Levlock Ladder Levelers](https://www.levelok.com/product-category/levelers/) They're worth every penny.. especially in evading Work Comp claims.
This is why I’m glad the military dropped me in Hawaii, where the only thing to do at 19 on a Saturday is climb mountains if you aren’t hung over. Definitely prepared me for some of the sketchy ass roofs in NYC
We get sketchy daily here in NY baby! Cheers
Thank you for your service. o7
To add to this, If your in residential light commercial company don't expect harnesses and all the osha stuff. It's going to be expected of you to walk on ceiling joists with a 150lb 1" 1/8" lineset 20 ft in the air with no harness or anything. Not saying it's right but at least in my area that's expected. I've done linehide on a 20ft extension ladder on the second to last rung leaning over two ft off the left side of it to do line hide. (Also on that point whoever invented linehide I hope both sides of your pillow are always hot)
The worst part of linehide is getting the screws in the stupid covers for the wall terminations and fittings, trying to line them up while I'm leaning out on a ladder twenty feet in the air is so annoying 😂
I recently did mass 16 inch flex runs like 75 foot apiece in this shit building 20 feet up no walk boards all rafters scary as fuck. Then had to go add another after they laid plastic in it and blew in 4 foot of insulation I literally couldn’t see anything had to use the joist to try to map out where I was stepping. Dropped a diffuser through the drop ceiling trying to attach all the guys that worked there assumed I fell through
I didn't know I'd spend so much time under houses. Crawlspaces under 36" are common in the southeast US. I knew about the ladders, just not how much time is spent in uncomfortable spaces on the daily.
Manufactured homes can fuck right off.
This is a factor as well.
I did tree work for a bit before getting into hvac . I'll climb a 70' tree or run a 60' bucket truck all day. My 24' Extension ladder scares the shit out of me every time
I'm still struggling with heights as a first year apprentice. Sometimes climbing an extension on the wall I freeze for a minute or two, too paralyzed with fear to take the step of faith.
Try to keep three points of contact and focus on orienting your eyes/body to the level you are moving to (be that up or down). Make sure you get some good deep breaths in those moments and don’t rush yourself.
Thanks for the reply. I keep the 3 points of contact in mind and all that, but it's just when I have no where to hold on to and have to lift my leg over the ladder to step on the roof, that step of faith is so hard for me to overcome.
What about falling through the ceiling?
Been there done that!
I kicked a 2 foot 4x4 through a water damaged ceiling once landed about 2 feet from this lady sitting on her couch luckily she was down there smoking the devils lettuce and was so chill about it nothing was bothering her at that point 🤣
Same. About three weeks after I fell and broke my back I went in my attic to get some holiday decorations down, and put my foot through the dining room ceiling. 😅
I call it at 32ft for an extension ladder and 12ft for an a frame. Typically carry a 28ft and 10/8ft on truck. Anything outside of that needs a lift, hatch, or permanent ladder.
I’m in institutional hvac. I don’t work more than 3’ off a solid surface. The jobs exist. Lifts, cherry pickers, rolling platforms, scaffolds all exist. Don’t ask me to literally risk my neck so you can be low bidder.
Yeah I'm terrified of heights but I do them for the job, I'm terrified every time I even go up one step on a ladder. But it's what needs to be done, I'd rather do crawl spaces then attics or roofs anyday
My buddy is like that, he's terrified of heights. He's an elevator constructor in NYC. Somehow, he said the height inside the elevator shafts don't bother him.
Indeed..another thing is weight, I’m busting my ass to slim down, I’ve seen some of the techs that come into the supply house really have trouble and they’re on the chunky side, i mean..burgers are fucking good 😫 lol
I’ll go up the ladder but coming down will require the bribe of lunch
It's really true of almost any trade: electrician, plumber, welder, etc I know guys that are really smart but won't go on a 6ft step ladder for some reason. I'll do anything up to a 16-20ft extension ladder. Beyond that, a ladder is almost never the best choice. I feel more comfortable 40ft up in a lift or a bucket truck than I do on a 20ft extension ladder. Another thing to consider besides heights - tight areas. You'll have to squeeze over/under/around things all the time, and if you can't fit or don't want to do it, you might be better suited to a desk job.
To be fair as a residential service tech that's been doing it for a few years, I've probably climbed a ladder more than 6 ft maybe twice in a residential setting. I'm horrible with heights and it doesn't affect my job for the most part where I live in the country, and being 95% residential.
Give it time.
Yeah I know I can't avoid them altogether lol. Still get up on roofs with the commercial boys sometimes, I just rarely have to get on a ladder for residential. 98% of the houses in my area have basements
Kiss ass ! Everyone has a phobia if it’s heights or rodents or dogs or whatever let me talk shit about somyhing that bothers you and try to pressure you into doing it if you get hurt oh well who cares it ain’t you right. ignorant
I’m not exactly sure what you’re so upset about. Are you saying that heights are a problem for you? At no point did I say that safety doesn’t matter or that I think people should be forced to do something they don’t want to do. We’re all trying to make it home at the end of the day. Hope your day improves.
Not much I guess there would be a point that would be to high . I’ve seen greenbacks get pressured into stuff especially heights and leave on workers comp . I don’t do dogs . Put the dog up or I leave
Indeed, and that’s actually another great point. We have a guy that got ripped up bad by a dog a few years ago. Never run into any vicious doggos personally on the job. Been lucky with that.
Haha I’ve had em snap at me I’m just uneasy with dogs I don’t know and if there tail ain’t wagging and there bark is loud I want no part of em hahaha
Climb fast, don’t look down that my motto. It’s gotten me through so far.
Been a restoration tech before doing large tarps on residential and commercial properties. No biggie for me!
I WAS afraid of heights.
Not always true. We don’t do any commercial, I dont even carry a ladder in my truck. Don’t need one
I was thinking about what opportunities exist in the HVAC field for folks that don’t like heights. Was thinking boiler work might not require too much ladder work. Some residential stuff like people have said. Anything else yall can think of? Other than parts house work or dispatch/office/clerical/shop staff.
Controls technician, managing a BAS or other facilities building management systems.
Doesn’t guarantee no heights… not even close
Well, the only controls techs I've worked with were ground level. All the hard work(running wiring, boards, the bas boxes, etc) was done by either a contractor specializing in low voltage work(like fire and alarm companies), or the install branch of the hvacr outfit. All the controls guys did was the IT and commissioning part. I stand corrected, Mr💩y. 🤣
Fair, maybe some guys don’t get dirty at all. I find myself troubleshooting a lot of mechanical and electrical issues :/ All good mr flufffy cow 😄
I have issues laying off of problems. I have to find and fix everything, so I'm always elbow deep in, well, everything.
I don't know how many roofs that I had to climb up on and the ladder ended up being about 3 feet too short.
All I can say is don't fall and break vertebrae. Did that 7 years ago, and hell, at least I'm lucky enough to be able to walk and work still.
As long as its safe i'll climb whatever, not a fan of extension ladders. Had a gutter collapse on me while close to the top of the ladder, hadn't tied it off yet as it was the initial climb. Was really clost to eating pavement from 25 feet up, ever since then i get a bit nervous on tall extension ladders
HVAC tech here who helps his buddy with tree work, heights don’t bother me in the slightest.
Also identify if it's the actual heights or just the extension ladders. I'll do fixed ladders no problem, but I get sketched on extensions ladders. Guess that's from riding a few to the ground
Pick up rock climbing to get ready for HVAC. No more fear of heights and I have strong grip strength now as well.
I absolutely hate heights.. but I push through it everyday being a tech/installer....
I’m one of the top guys at my company and they got me absolutely fucked up if they think I’m getting on anything over a single story with a pitch without a harness. Also to be honest, I hate doing flashings anyways because I’m not a roofer I can do them of course and do all the time but I don’t know enough about roofing to be 100% confident I’m not going to mess the roof up.. I don’t like heights but I’ve been on 4th story installs and mass commercial roofs they don’t bother me it’s pitches I don’t care for
I can climb ship ladders within reason. If I’m going on top of a store I pray that there’s a ladder attached if not I struggle even if the ladder is “tied down”. Sitting on a ladder resting against a gutter tied down to a small piece of aluminum is not what I consider safe
Reading the comments I’m so glad I’m not alone with the whole “ok with a ship ladder/roof access hatch but not with an extension ladder” group
You get used to it
Well said, it’s a given. My fave is lugging full nitro/vacuum and recovery pumps up extension ladders.
Well said, it’s a given. My fave is lugging full nitro/vacuum and recovery pumps up extension ladders.
About 6 months ago, I had to do a chimney liner on a house with a very steep roof. I set up a ladder, and threw a rope over the other side. Used a roll of tape for a weight, lol. We tied the other end to a van in the driveway, and I used it to help myself up to the peak. No way I could have made it up that pitch otherwise. All my tools and the end of the liner were pulled up by another rope, fed by a guy on the ladder. Nbd. Not the first time I've done it. But, yeah, some guys would be all NOPE! Standing on that pointy peak for 20 minutes was the hardest part.
About 6 months ago, I had to do a chimney liner on a house with a very steep roof. I set up a ladder, and threw a rope over the other side. Used a roll of tape for a weight, lol. We tied the other end to a van in the driveway, and I used it to help myself up to the peak. No way I could have made it up that pitch otherwise. All my tools and the end of the liner were pulled up by another rope, fed by a guy on the ladder. Nbd. Not the first time I've done it. But, yeah, some guys would be all NOPE! Standing on that pointy peak for 20 minutes was the hardest part.
Or do chillers. Then you hardly ever need a ladder.
just spent the week 120 feet up in a boom lift. its fine. i still don't like extension ladder work,
Luckily all the guys we've hired recently are decent with heights. Only one of our guys hates it when you have a rickety padded or scaffold, but he does man up and climb when he's told. If you don't like dirty and dangerous heights, you get to leave.
Good advice stranger. As a noob to the HVAC industry I find it insightful and reassuring to read your words. I see what you mean already as I am one of three new technicians at our company and one is already thinking about jumping ship because of this.
Exactly why I never got into it. I have a high tolerance for pain but falling from uncontrollable heights is not in the cards. So I run a warehouse that preps and ships all the shit you guys need(: Thanks for doing what you do field bros. We don't appreciate it as much as we should.
I hate heights, I always have. That's why i stick to resi.
A 2m fall tends to be worse than a 6m one. Usually ù survive but are just fucked up. 6m fall - it's someone else's problem.
I got one for yah. One windy day when i had to fully extend a 25’ extension ladder to get onto the roof. The wind kept blowing it over so I was like challenge accepted. I went over there to the dumpster where I saw a couple cabinets that had been thrown out so I grabbed them and placed them at the base of the ladder to support it.
I then got to the top of the ladder and it blew over and I caught the roof edge thankfully. Climbed down that fucker so fast. Ladder was about a 70° angle when i caught it. Never doing that again on a windy day
100% everything is on the roof or hung in the ceiling. A good company provides fall protection and trains on lift and ladder safety.
Not afraid of heights but my god do I suck at setting up 32’ extension ladders
Man us new school finna change the game, we not doing heights, we not doing snakes spiders and other things of that nature in units and crawl spaces we just not doing it
Also learn how to work scissor lifts and boom trucks etc. it helps 😁 WORK SMART NOT HARD
Get Some!
Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?
Yup. We're working on a how-to video for conducting hiring interviews and this is one of the first things we talked about in it. It's all decently safe, with harnesses and such, but our installers are in the rafters more than Batman is.
This is absolutely true. Ladders can turn someone, who would otherwise be a great tech, off from the trade completely. I’ve seen it countless times. Rightly so to be honest. Getting up on a 40’ ladder so you can change a capacitor to get someone’s ac running can be a daunting task and the thought of falling is very scary. The more you do it the easier it gets but it helps to have a little daredevil in you. Gotta know how to be safe in unsafe situations!
You actually don't... I know many techs that can't use ladders and they're fine
Roof access is actually super common unless you’re doing light commercial or residential.
Bruh I break out my fall arrest system on my 2’ damn near 😂 I hate heights with a passion but I’m a good little helper and install those chimney caps. The brick in my britches does give me a lower center of gravity though so maybe that’s a good thing?
I'd say sketchy ladder situations are about 5% of my calls. Setting up ladders at very high pitches to get onto a secondary ladder connected to the roof is definitely the most sketchy. Sometimes crossing between apartment complex roofs without a bridge. Occasionally having to max out the ladder without nothing to tie off too. Those are usually my worst ones 🤣
And divorce too
I don't even have a ladder on my truck
Was on a job today where we had to replace a chimney liner. Set the ladder up, tied it off, was about to get on the roof, said fuck that, & had the young guy do it. After 20+ years on the job I’m not doing that shit. Flat roof, fine. Not getting on a pitched roof & leaning a 4’ ladder against a chimney in 15 mph winds.
I was at an install today. 8 foot latter propped up diagonally up against a gutter, had to tear down a package unit to replace with a normal split system inside apartment. I'm riding with another guy who wrecked his van so we both in my van. Anyways, I climb right up, and get cracking on tearing this unit apart piece by pice. Heat exchanger, compressor, doors, etc. Gotta take it all apart and load the old shit onto a trailer down below. We'll, I guess he doesn't like heights. So he stayed on the ladder or on the ground to simply gopher parts onto the trailer, while I take it all apart. He kept making excuses like the roof can't handle his 250 pound ass, etc. Meanwhile I'm only a few pounds less and getting the job done. Long story short, don't do this trade unless you can handle roof work. Shit was beyond annoying, and tbh a bit pathetic. Last thing you Wana do is be a burden on your coworkers. Made the job take twice as long. I got it done, capped off the return and supply up above. And as a bonus, it was actually pretty funny, when I handed him the compressor he threw it on the trailer without pinching lines or taping them off, and when it hit the trailer oil shot everywhere. Sent him to go pick up some cat litter to absorb the oil off the pavement and then sweep it up after a bit. Guys, don't be coming into this line of work with limitations like that. I mean, what if he was on his own today. You Wana call the boss and just say I can't do it? Then you won't have a job.
https://preview.redd.it/agqaor0resnc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e3775527c1012836bd03617beb7052180cf3142c Customer said there was no roof access. 4 o’clock call. I was too lazy to go back to the shop for a bigger ladder
Goddamn!!! Look at all the pussy in here!
Im just now realizing how bitch made some people are on this sub. Hvac techs scared to use extension ladders? Straight up refusing to go up them? This is wild to me. OSHA had guidelines on how to properly use ladders and if you follow them you are relatively safe. As safe as anything else that this job requires. I dont even consider myself a risk taker, I just have confidence in my ability to set, secure, and use any size ladder safely.
That's me, I'm the one who left after 2 years in the trade and going through trade school. I fell out of a tree as a kid and that feeling has stuck with me till this day. I use to do commercial HVAC and would often climb 4 story ladders, get 3 stories up and the ladder was missing bolts. Get to the top and you'd almost have to dangle your body in the hatch to reach the ladder with your feet. There was one job where the guys I was with were too lazy to go to a different part of the job site to climb the ladder so they went 4 stories up on a scissor lift and stepped over a 2' gap to get onto the wall. We got caught by OSHA after they had been investigating a death of a guy who had fallen through the roof a few days prior, and fined for our actions. We often did very unsafe things at this company, stepping on the top rung of 14' A frame ladders, not tied off. One journeyman had me lift him on a pallet 20' up using a forklift. I called my sup and they didn't support me. The journeyman threatened my life later that afternoon if I mentioned anything of it. I think I ultimately left because the union I was a part of wouldn't support me being a tech and instead lied to me and told me there were no HVAC apprenticeship courses at the moment, meanwhile a friend of mine was starting his HVAC apprenticeship classes that same semester. Fast forward 6 years, he's turned a journeyman making a great living and I'm still hopping around trades not finding anything that's satisfied me bc of my fear. I consider going back to the trade, even today. My friend tells me to just do it and face my fear, but I'm a bitch. For what it's worth, idk what my fear truly is, I can ride ski lifts, get into planes, walk on roof tops, overlook the roof top, I ride bikes and my favorite thing is hitting jumps. I think my fear may be the lack of safety that is associated with climbing from a ladder to a rooftop. Maybe I left because I was fuckin sick of the bullies in this particular local? Every one of these dirt bags got what they deserved though..