44 OCTOBER 2015 | FUEL OIL NEWS | www.fueloilnews.com
HVAC/ HYDRONICS
who use this pump will tell you that it is almost priceless. I have
used it for both flushing and cleaning oil lines, and for purg-
ing oil lines. It can also serve the purpose of a chemical pump
and in one case I even used it for recharging a diaphragm type
expansion tank. In recent years there has been much emphasis
on environmental issues and I believe the Firomatic pump to be
safer than most other high pressure tools that can be used for
cleaning oil lines. If that Firomatic hand pump won't clear that
plugged oil line, why take a chance on blowing it, and I do mean
blowing it! High pressure is not really the solution since if the
line is that plugged clearing the obstruction may open the line
in a way you hadn't planned.
So, back to our story. Bubba closes the inlet valve to the
pump, builds up the vacuum and purges the line of all air and
prepares to leave. "Well you're all set Mrs. DeMean; I really
don't think you'll have any more trouble. Bruce will be back
in a couple of days and I'll fill him in on what happened." Mrs.
DeMean responds with, "Well you can tell him for me that he'll
probably be back next week and I'll talk to him then and if he
doesn't fix it then, no more money."
"OK, I'll tell him what you said," responds Bubba as he goes
down the stairs to the safety of his van.
As it turns out Bubba did fix it and has taken one of three
steps needed to move him from a "burnerman" to a professional
oilheat technician.
1. He fixed the job correctly;
2. he kept his cool under fire from an irate customer, and
3. he didn't badmouth anyone. That alone is a miracle.
Congratulations to Bubba, he's on his way.
See ya!
*George Lanthier is the owner of Firedragon Academy,
a Massachusetts Certified School teaching both gas and oil.
Firedragon Academy now has multiple facilities in Massachusetts
and New England for teaching both their gas and oil "hands-on"
schools and seminars. Firedragon is also a publishing firm publish-
ing George's over 60 books and manuals on gas and oil heating and
HVAC subjects. He is a CETP, NATE, NORA, PMAA and PMEF
Proctor and has been a Massachusetts Certified Instructor since
1975. He can be reached at 608 Moose Hill Road, Leicester, MA
01524. His phone is 508-421-3490 and his website can be found at
FiredragonEnt.com
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