Totally not safe from a former algebra tutor. I can not only read upside-down and backwards, but write that way, too....I just use one password for everything to keep it simple:
plɹ0ʍƐɥʇƐlnɹplnoɥϛɯ¡ʇƐ¡dd¡ɥ
Sheesh, that's out of how many units? Sounds like a huge PITA, must be a big place.
my car's AC was going bad for a while - the blower motor would stop and i'd hit the glove box and it'd spin up again. but over time it finally died.
so i took it in to replace the blower motor. at this time, it was still cold, etc. they replaced it, but said there was a problem: they also tried to put more freon in to recharge it, but something "went wrong" and it only blows hot air now.
i asked what could be done. they said, oh you'll have to replace the compressor, some other part, and it's all behind the dash, and it's all bad, needs full replacement. so labor and everything is looking like $3000.
i said no, i'll just manage. so i pretty much kept the AC off since then, windows down only. a few hot months later, i turn on the car, and boom, it's blowing cold air and has for almost a year now. shrug
My AC is intermittent too. Shop I pretty much trust said several major parts needed to be replaced, about $900. Don't think they were scamming me, since they know I don't have much spare money and probably just wouldn't fix it, which is what I've done so far. Sometimes it's fine, sometimes just hot air. Bleh.
HVAC guys are the worst offenders in my experience.
I can fix my car, my guitars, and my tube amps, but aroun-the-house fixit stuff, I plead Sgt. Schultz....Mastering the art of DIY home improvement and maintenance can be a money saver. And it can also wreck marriages.
I can fix my car, my guitars, and my tube amps, but aroun-the-house fixit stuff, I plead Sgt. Schultz....
So another story...
We have a synthetic slate roof. The problem with it is that it's slippery in the winter and the ice slides off causing damage to things.
So we contact a contractor for a quote to install ice guards. He comes back and says $43,000. "What?!!! Are you out of your mind?"
"Uh, oh, I overestimated the number of guards needed. The cost will only be $23,000." "You've gotta be smoking something", I say. "I want a detailed estimate with itemized costs."
At this point I don't trust the guy but I can't find anyone else so I figure I'll get the jump on him because I'm betting he's going to overstate all his costs. I contact the manufacturer of the ice guards and get a quote and call an equipment rental company for a price on renting a lift for two weeks.
He sends me his itemized quote and it has $20 each for the guards and $7500 for the lift rental. The price I was quoted for the guards was $7.87 and the lift was $3000. So he's marking everything up around 150%.
I replied to his quote with a copy of the quote from the guard manufacturer and told him that I called the equipment rental company.
I haven't heard back and guessing I probably won't.
At this point I don't trust the guy but I can't find anyone else