Heat Pumps on Scary Rooftops!

Scary Rooftop HVAC in the Phoenix, AZ area.

Another bad problem with idiot builders who obviously don't have to pass any mechanical or building code in the Phoenix, AZ area... and the idiot residential HVAC companies who just want to make a buck!

Here is a video I took with my camera phone to demonstrate how hard it is to climb one of these death traps with just a small toolbag. (You should see it when we have to bring up compressors, tanks, welding supply, and recovery machines!)


The homes shown in this video were built by Deitz Crane Builders in the Phoenix, AZ area as well as El Mirage, AZ and some other areas.

These are tile rooftops with just enough shingles to allow the Heat Pump to be placed. I usually have to still walk on the tiles on some of the homes.

The two story homes are the worst! One reason is because there is a brick wall in between the home and the neighbors yard that only leaves a few feet to place your ladder, which then is going almost straight up.
Getting up the ladder is unsafe in itself.
Once you climb onto the rooftop, that is surprisingly steep for an area that sees NO SNOW, you have to be careful not to trip over the drain pipe or electrical whip!

So this crap is dangerous enough during BROAD DAYLIGHT, but the customer's expect you to climb this sh*t AFTER DARK because they can't wait until morning!

And many residential HVAC companies like the one in Peoria/Sun City West, AZ expects you to service these units day or night!!!!

If you're thinking about doing HVAC work in the Phoenix Area, you may want to think again! Until the corruption between the builders and city stops, proper building, mechanical, and safety codes get ignored in favor of building homes quickly and cheaply to make a quick buck!!!!

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• HVAC
• hacked
• Deitz
• Crane
• RTU
• Goodman
• Trane
• Sun
• City
• West
• Surprise
• El
• Mirage
• Grand
• Canyon
• State
• Arizona

[Larizona]

Find another occupation. They are on the rooftops for 2 reasons. Less Dust. Less noise. My Evap cooler is right next to refrigeration & I service it myself. My 79 year old neighbor does his own too. Try climbing a Radio Tower for a living, "Wimps".

[hackfreehvac]

@Larizona

Well that's not really a fair comparison. HVAC guys don't get into the field knowing that there are life threatening installation until they find an area like this that has building corruption.

There are codes that are not followed. THAT is the point. Just like I'm sure you have codes and safety gear to climb those towers.

I grew up hanging around repairmen who climbed and repaired towers in Arizona.

Rim Country where it snows.

[hackfreehvac]

@hackfreehvac

Oh yeah. I don't work in the "field" doing this residential sh*t anymore.

I work in house and don't have to feel unsafe anymore.

[smdmmj]

If you think it's unsafe...Refuse to work on it!!!!!

[hackfreehvac]

@smdmmj

That's what my FIRST BOSS said to me.

He even came and held the ladder for me on a few jobs.

Then I moved to the valley where there are entire building tracts like this all with death trap pigeon sh*t infested rooftops and not even enough room to set a ladder.

[stmanion]

that roof isnt even that bad, i live in vegas and on a 1 to 10 scale (10 being worst) this is about a 3 on my scale.

[hackfreehvac]

Ah, some of these are pretty bad.

Oh, while I was in Vegas i saw the same shit. I have a video of those too.

Maybe the same retarded builder has designed houses in Phoenix AND Vegas?

[turtles24601]

It seems amazing un-practical to have the unit on the roof! Do they not have gardens? And what if the unit eventually needs replacing!

I live in England, and the air conditioner condersers we have here are much smaller, and usually bolt onto the wall! I should imagine they are much smaller tonnage but still there must be a better option than this great big lump on a roof!

[Larizona]

hackfreevac...Thanks for the Video, and the info. My Heat pump quit tonight. (No Strip). It's an older unit, but this has not been good year finincially so it will stay until it totally quits. I'll see what's up tomorrow when it's warmer & lighter out. (And safer) I have an easy roof. I can scrounge parts off old units as my neighbors replace them. I watched you travel down Grand on your Video. Those are the Bradshaw mountains with the snow on them. I'm almost your neighbor.

[fixinggrace]

My boss expects me to work on any rooftop within reason. Unless it's a dire emergency, never at night because of the dangers you make mention of. Glad we don't have these type of units in Michigan, but I'd do 'em if I had to.

[catatonicable]

Looks dodgy and have vertigo delux, why dont they put them on the side of the house like aircons.?

[DaveTheyCallme]

Edit all the F words. Thanks.