Thank God for AC and HVAC folk

For most of his life, my father was bi-vocational. That is, he worked a full-time job and pastored a church at the same time. For more than 40 years, my dad has shepherded God’s people through life while preaching Sunday after Sunday. And for a much of that time, he also worked 50-55 hours a week at a secular job. In addition to the ministry, my father worked in the HVAC field. Besides being a student of the Word, for decades he was a walking talking encyclopedia of all things Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. When he was barely more than a teenager, he began working at a small privately-owned HVAC business doing heat pump and furnace install and repair. By the time he retired, he was supervising a large corporately-owned business. 

But back in his younger years, when he was still crawling under houses and in attics, he always carried a tool belt around his waist. I remember this well all these years later. In his tool belt he had channel locks, wire-strippers, needle nose and linesman pliers, rubber-handled screwdrivers, certain size nut drivers, adjustable wrenches, electrical tape, and more. And one thing I can tell you for sure … he did not like his boys playing with his tool belt! He kept every single tool in a specific spot in that pouch and was very particular about them staying that way. He was so familiar with his tool belt, that he could reach down and grab the exact tool he needed without looking. 

While I realize the same thing could be said about many jobs … HVAC work is hard work. Believe me. My dad took us boys on enough “side jobs” when we were young, that I quickly learned there had to be an easier way to make a living! Folks, I am dead serious. I decided early on, I did not want to follow in my father’s footsteps, not in the HVAC world at least. Hot attics. Tight crawl spaces. Muddy basements. Aggressive dogs. Grouchy customers. No thanks! Not for me. 

One thing every HVAC person knows is this … you might not hear from family or friends for years, but come about mid-July and that air stops blowing cold, you will get a call! My father always ended up getting calls from church members or family members anytime their A/C or heat went out. Being the man he was, he couldn’t say no. So, he would load us boys up as his helpers, and away we’d go. And let me tell you folks something … HVAC work is some of the most underappreciated and demanding work there is. It is hot, cold, wet, dirty, muddy, painful, and hard on your body. And just FYI, none of the guys showing up at your house to work are getting rich doing it! 

I remember my dad telling me about arriving at this house and the people were angry because their air had been out for a couple days, and it was 85-degrees inside. So, fighting back their large equally angry dog (who won’t bite of course) there he went, up this rickety ladder into a 140° attic. Sweat immediately starts pouring from him. He crawls across the rafters on his knees and contorts his body to get behind the air handler and work on it. After an hour or so, he and his helper are so hot, they climb back down the ladder and chill bumps run all over them. While it is 85° in the house, that was 50 degrees cooler than the attic they had been in, so they were freezing. Of course, the hot home owner was disappointed to hear it was going to take another trip or two before their air would be fixed. 

Or, imagine having to crawl on your back and belly through the damp dirt of a crawlspace. All around are spiders, bugs and some unknown rodents running around, and the only light you have is the flash light or drop cord you’ve drug with you. After wiggling your wet way under floor joists that are inches from your head, with nails sticking out of them, you get to the unit. And you know what the worst part about all that is? Once you diagnose what is wrong, you are going to have to crawl back out, get the needed part and crawl back in again. It is not uncommon for this to happen several times. Which is exactly why my dad drug us kids with him, to be his gofers. 

I said all that to say this … thank God for heat in the winter and cold air in the summer. And … we all ought to be thankful for those folks who are working hard this summer to keep us cool. Whether answering the phone, scheduling appointments or crawling under your house, give honor to whom honor is due. And for heaven’s sake be patient with these people who are working long hot days. 

Seriously, we Americans have it so good. We are so spoiled that we act like we are going to die if the air goes out. Forgetting that humanity survived for thousands of years without a heat pump. So, among the many things we should be grateful for, give God praise that He made men smart enough to design these comfort systems and show some patience to the folks who are working in our hot attics and wet basements to help keep us cool. 

And just FYI … heaven’s thermostat is set to 68° or at least that’s my opinion.