Finally buckled and bought a $200 compressor for the van after years of borrowing

I used to just borrow my neighbor's pancake compressor for every service call that needed one. After the third time his wife got mad at me for showing up at 7pm to grab it, I picked up a California Air Tools 1-gallon from the local Home Depot. It's quiet enough I can run it inside a client's laundry room without them yelling at me. Anyone else find the little portable ones actually worth the money for fridge repairs?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_linda9d ago

Man I did that once with a little rolly cart compressor and the homeowner's cat went absolutely ballistic. It was this tiny 2-gallon unit but the vibration made this low hum that drove the poor thing crazy. The lady came running in thinking I was torturing her cat or something. I had to shut it down and finish the job with a manual vacuum pump just to keep the peace. Now I always ask if they have pets before I fire up anything with a motor. Some people's animals are more sensitive than the homeowners themselves.

jordan_webb10d ago

Wait, you ran a compressor inside someone's laundry room while they were home?

grace_wright9d ago

Man I can't even imagine doing that to someone. Poor cat probably thought the house was coming down around its ears. My neighbor's dog loses it over any power tool sound too. Honestly just seems like common courtesy to warn people before you start making that kind of racket in their home.