My brother-in-law's commentary on my 'easy' boiler job made me snap

At a family BBQ last weekend, my brother-in-law joked that I just 'turn wrenches all day' and have it easy compared to his office job. He has no idea about the calculations, blueprints, and safety checks involved in even a simple boiler install. I tried to describe a recent project where we had to align pipes within millimeters, but he just changed the subject. It's dismissive and kinda insulting when people reduce our trade to manual labor. Like, do they think boilers assemble themselves? I wish more folks understood the skill and brainpower we bring to the table. Makes me want to invite him to a boiler room in mid-July to see how 'easy' it is.

3 comments

3 Comments

grant2099h ago

Trade work requires serious brains.

the_charlie8h ago

Yeah, like that plumber who mentioned Bernoulli's principle mid-repair.

willow_kim748h ago

Reading a piece in Modern Mechanics last month about the engineering behind HVAC systems really drove home how technical these jobs are. The article detailed how technicians use fluid dynamics and thermodynamics just to calibrate residential units, let alone industrial boilers. Your BIL's comment ignores that entire layer of problem-solving we don't see from the outside. It's frustrating when people equate physical work with a lack of mental engagement, as if the two are mutually exclusive. That precision alignment you described is exactly the kind of skilled application those principles require in the field.