How do you know if you can trust an expert?

While this seems to be about home repairs, it's actually about trusting experts so bear with me while I set the ground work.

We're in the process of getting a new furnace or at least see if we can find a way to stop replacing the igniter every 9 months. We had a fantastic system that worked really well for the first 14 years or so of home ownership. It was a new type of boiler system that provided practically endless supplies of hot water and fairly cheap heat.

Having a garage that we couldn't use unless we bought mini-Coopers or motorcycles, I converted the first garage bay into an office. The contractor insisted that the wall he was installing would provide adequate room to service the furnace and hot water heater/boiler. When I questioned this, the head of the company came out, made a few tweaks to the plan, and said that he was sure it would be sufficient. I call this "Contractor Lie #1". There may have been adequate room before drywall, but after drywall, I can barely get the filter out to clean it ,and I think even Twiggy would have difficulty actually looking at any of the furnace parts, much less repairing them. The hot water heater/boiler access isn't too bad but it is far from sufficient.

When the boiler part died, the company that had originally installed it no longer supported the system and I could find nobody else who had a clue. This being a boiler, I opted to try calling plumbers instead of heating contractors. Maybe this was my first mistake.

A plumber came out and replaced the unit. He didn't bother to tell us that we were getting a hot water heater (max temp. 160 degrees F) rather than a boiler (max temp. 200 degrees F). I consider this "Contractor Lie #2.  It became quite clear that the job was well beyond the scope of this guy's experience so after his company's third attempt to fix everything, I called a different company. They fixed the pipes and everything was great.

For a year or so.

Then temperatures went unseasonably cold for Seattle, and the igniter died. Unusual? yes. Out of warranty? Of course. I researched the water heater on the Internet and couldn't find any indication that there was a history of igniter problems so we replaced the igniter.  Everything worked great.

For about 9 months.

Once again, cold temperatures brought a dead igniter. Still nothing on the Internet that the igniters were bad or that the hot water heater had problems but it was clear that something was wrong. Once again, the company ordered an igniter and after 3 very cold days, it was installed. They called the manufacturer to confirm there were no service bulletins. It was suggested to look at airflow which we did. At this point, we discovered that the intake and outflow air were backwards on the roof. The intake should be higher so it doesn't draw in air from the outflow. We debated methods to fix it but the manufacturer said that they doubted it was an issue. This may have been Contractor Lie #3. Most likely, our first igniter was simply a bad one. Once again, out of warranty but the plumbing company gave us a discount on installation because even they decided this was unacceptable. Once again, everything seem to be just great.

Until about 9 months later.

I am once again listening as this poor hot water heater attempts to heat the water enough to warm the house.  I've now turned off the recirculating pump that makes hot water appear in only 10-15 seconds from most sinks. I've turned the furnace down to a perky 60 degrees to minimize the amount of work it needs to do.  I've done what I can to help it limp along so we have time to figure out what to do.

The question is: do we replace the whole thing or do we fix it once again. How can we make such a decision when I can't necessarily trust the expert I've hired?

This has made me think about all the various experts I depend on. I have various experts digest the congressional bills so that I don't have to read all 1500+ pages. I rely on an expert to tell me what programs have viruses on my computer. Car repairs. Horse trainers. Vets. Doctors. Dentists. Meteorologists. Medications and supplements. The list goes on.

Contractor Lie #1: Are they knowledgeable or giving me a snow job?
If I raise a concern, how can I trust that these experts actually know what they are talking about? My son is an amazing student who really does know a lot of different things. However, he is the most amazing bulls*#&ter that you'd ever have the pleasure of knowing. Unless you yourself are knowledgeable about a topic, you have no way of knowing that you've veered off into BS-land. I'm not sure I could trust him in a study group where everyone is responsible for reporting on their part of the assignment. While I know that he would take the responsibility very seriously, I wouldn't have the skills to know what part of his report he was BSing and what was actually in the assignment. He is a classic case of the better someone's speaking and social skills, the more they create an innate sense of trustworthiness.

In my experience, some of the best blue collar experts couldn't spell like a first grader and couldn't speak very well either but those are also the hallmarks of some of the worst blue collar contractors. As our experts get more educated to perform their job, their speaking skills somewhat naturally improve which means their ability snow me becomes higher.  How much do you know about the real reasons your doctor wants you to take some medication or have some test done?

In short, how do I know that my hired expert is actually an expert in what I need?

Contractor Lie #2: The super-secret lingo
If I ask for a boiler, how do I know that I'm getting a boiler and not a hot water heater? I did research and the only items listed as "boilers" were units designed for huge office buildings or apartment complexes rather than a single family home. I thought I was doing the right thing and researching my options before I made a large expenditure. How was I supposed to know the difference between a hot water heater and a boiler if the experts (in this case the contractor and the manufacturer websites) don't agree on the lingo?

This is especially problematic in computers, and it's not just the difference between PCs and Macs. Think of all the different ways people refer to the button on the bottom left corner of  your Windows machine. Some people call it the "pearl", some call it the "start button", and some people call it the "round flag". There are probably other names for it that I don't know. Some people use their term because that's what it was called when they learned about it. Some people use their term because it's the current one. Some people use their term because it's just what they use. None of this is bad until you have a problem and you are off trying to find a solution. If you've been told that that thing is called the "pearl", you'll be in great shape searching on Microsoft's site but it won't work on too many other help sites. Worse, if you don't know that people use different terms for it, you don't know how to search for it or, when you do find help, you spend an hour trying to find the "round flag".

If I don't speak the same language as my expert, it is much easier for me to view them as an expert. Heck, isn't that a big part of what the reformation was all about? People getting tired of viewing their Latin-speaking parish priest as the expert on God and decided that if God was all-powerful, he could understand their local language.

Doctors use this all the time. A patient doesn't want to hear "I don't know what it is" so doctors call it something so that you'll have faith in whatever treatment the doctor proscribes. Since your faith that a treatment will work is apparently a huge component in the treatment actually working, this sounds like a great idea. It probably is a good idea most of the time but how do I, as a patient, know when it isn't a good idea? I've now known enough people with cancer to know that doctors don't agree on what best treatment is but for many types of cancer are just going with whatever they've tried in the past or was in the latest magazine.

We treat some experts as gods and don't ever seem to question their thinking or their conclusions. Think about talk radio or newspapers. How often do you go off and research what they say? There's an expectation for some experts that they are factual and unbiased but more and more we seem to be discovering that even people like doctors are quite biased.

Contractor Lie #3: Good advice or avoiding a lawsuit? Good advice or money?
How do I know that the advice I'm getting is what the expert feels is the right answer rather than the answer with the least likelihood of getting him in trouble? Similarly, how do I know my hired expert is telling be the best practice rather than getting money for the next vacation?

For the most part, people got a long just fine without all the technology. When a doctor suggests that I need a test, I can followup with something like "how would the outcome of the test change the treatment?" Not only does this help me understand the purpose of the test, but it keeps me from getting tests that won't change the outcome because sometimes the treatment is for the symptoms not necessarily their cause. That's not saying that all tests are bad but I do think we do many things out of a fear that something will go horribly wrong and we won't be able to say "I did everything I could think of!" Certainly malpractice insurance sells the fear of that to doctors and our attitudes towards medicine often reinforce that "do everything you need" to confirm what you already believe.

Doctors aren't the only ones. Another one is the "get your septic pumped every 3-5 years otherwise your drain fields will be worthless" ploy. Not only do many people get their systems pumped regularly but some companies make a bang up business selling bacteria for your septic. Maybe some day, someone can explain to me why the septic guy insists that I need some different filter every time he comes?

Personally, I think that falls into the corollary of this lie which is "how do I know that what's being recommended is the best for my situation and not for the expert's wallet?" This is one of many reasons Car Talk is so loved. Tom and Ray tell what they think the car needs so that the callers can walk into a mechanic's business with some degree of control over excess repairs.

My daughter's computer died after barely 18 months of use. Having many computers in the household, some over 15 years old, this was abnormal. In calling tech support and spending many hours on the phone with some lovely Indian woman, we determined that the motherboard was fried. I'd said that about 20 minutes into the conversation but the scripts required that I dink around another few hours before the tech could agree. So pay $400 for a new motherboard or $600 for a new computer? I suspect that there is some very small part on the motherboard that isn't working but by pricing the motherboard so high, the company is strongly encouraging people to buy a new computer.

Clearly we can't trust all mortgage brokers or banks but those used to be some of the most trustworthy professions. How about your will? How do you know that what your lawyer has done will accomplish what you want? As people get older and need power of attorneys, death with dignity documents or living wills, how do you trust that the experts you've hired will do what you want? What happens when your expert doctors conflict with your expert lawyers over your care? With all the information coming at us and the increased specialization many of us are making in our day-to-day knowledge, reliance on experts is important but how do you know whom to trust?

Living wages and cheap goods

I have had this lovely quote for over 15 years on my bulletin board right next to my computer. I read it at least once a week to remind me that my purchasing choices matter. It was printed on the bottom of a warranty for some Kitchen Kraft cookware I purchased many years ago.

Does American Made Really Matter?

Joe Smith started the day early having set his alarm clock (made in Japan) for 6 a.m. While his coffee pot (made in China) was perking, he shaved with his electric razor (made in Hong Kong). He put on a dress shirt (made in Sri Lanka), designer jeans (made in Singapore) and tennis shoes (made in Korea). After cooking his breakfast in his new electric skillet (made in India) he sat down with a calculator (made in Mexico) to see how much he could spend today. After setting his watch (made in Taiwan) to the time on the radio (made in India), he go in his car (made in Germany) and continued his search for a good paying American Job. At the end of yet another discouraging and fruitless day, Joe decided to relax for a while. he put on his sandals (made in Brazil), poured himself a glass of wine (made in France) and turned on his TV (made in Indonesia) and then wondered why he can't find a good paying job in
America.

Yes, we can argue that looking for a job in tennis shoes and jeans, no matter how designer, is silly, but the point remains. I think about the fact that while companies such as Walmart say their products are made in America, often that means made in places like the Marshall Islands where workers are paid $2.00/hour as of 2011 which is considered to be a nonliving wage for the Marshall Islands. In our global economy, we've become slaves to the "cheaper is better but _I_ need a living wage" mantra. We can get caught up in the "this is so cheap I have to buy it" without thinking about the idea that nobody they know would accept a job to make it because the pay would be too minuscule.

I've been reading a lot of articles lately about the impact of Alabama's crackdown on illegal immigrants, and I've been paying particular attention to its impact on farmers. Articles like this oneinclude responses by the few Americans willing to work in the fields. I didn't do much work on a farm but I did have a Granny with a very large garden and family members who harvested tomatoes as summer jobs. After a few weeks of this labor, we all redoubled our efforts in school!

We have amazing farmer's markets around here where produce prices are usually similar to the grocery store prices. When I buy from the farmer (or from the coop he chooses), the farmer gets a larger percentage of the money I pay but neither of them is guaranteed minimum wage. When I buy from a grocer, I pay the grocer who pays the packager who pays the marketer who pays the farmer. Most grocers, packagers and marketers have to pay people minimum wage but once again, the farmer isn't. Do people stop to think about how each person in that link gets paid and how little the original farmer must be paid to get the grocery store price the same as the farmer's market price? If the farmer is making that much less, how much less must the workers be making?

I wonder if the Alabama legislature considered the delicate balance between what people are willing to pay in the grocery stores and how much farm workers are paid when they opted to crack down on illegal immigrants. I understand their desire to put Americans back to work, especially in a state with 10% unemployment, but there aren't too many Americans willing to do such back-breaking work for such little pay.
True, farmers could pay their laborers more, but that would have a direct impact on the price we pay in the grocery store.

Working on the farm is difficult, back-breaking work. Yes, there are lots of other  jobs that are also very physically demanding but that steelworker's job has bathroom breaks and lunch breaks which your average farm picker doesn't get. Your average industrial grunt is at work 8-10 hours a day but works 7-9 hours. Your average farm picker is on the job 12-16 hours a day and will work 11-16 of them. Many of them start at first light, eat as they work, and don't quit until it is too dark to see any more.
A farm worker isn't required (in many states) to be paid minimum wage but the dishwasher in your average restaurant is. The waitress in the restaurant isn't paid minimum wage but s/he can make some extra money in tips that usually brings them up to, or exceeds, minimum wage. Few farmers will pay their work crew extra for getting the crops in early or fast; a picker's only reward is making it to the next farm where they can repeat this backbreaking labor all over again. The staff in the grocery store where you buy the raw food is usually governed by union or state laws that mandate at least minimum wage. Ditto with the workers in the companies that handle the packaging and transportation of the foods to the grocery store.

Yes, there are a few unions who handle farm workers but most of their bargaining is around living conditions (no, you can't pack them like sardines; yes, they need to have clean, water and toilets provided; etc.) and around toxins (no, farmers can't apply pesticides while farmers are working in the fields; yes, farmers need to provide protective gear for workers who are applying pesticides; etc.). For the most part, even unions targeting immigrant laborers don't push on the wages too much. They've watched the steel and car industries and know that in this global economy, cheap raw materials are essential for getting products to market.

So how do states like Alabama who have a heavy section of their economy based on farming encourage these out-of-work Americans to do this hard work?

I guess we could take away food stamps and other low-income help from these people who would rather be unemployed than work these menial jobs but I think that might undo the major inroads made in child labor, health and education. It's one thing for an adult to have consequences for their actions but I don't like punishing children for things over which they have no control. As a child of someone who would rather starve than accept help, I can tell you first-hand that when you are hungry, you aren't in a good place to learn or to take advantage of whatever opportunities come your way. Pride in one's self-reliance or self-sufficiency is is a powerful thing. It is a fantastic trait in a worker with a job but take away that job, and these people can get hard to see from sideways on.

How do you take Americans who are fed a rich history of worker's rights and convince them that working at any job is better than not working? That's a pretty huge cultural shift. There are lots of Americans who already have this ethic and, of course, all of them were immigrants at one point or another. How do we regrow this ethic among a group of people who have been told by their parents "I've worked this hard so that you can have a more successful life than I have"? By saying this in the first place, the parents are saying that working hard at hard labor jobs is not "successful" so the kids aspire to jobs where they don't have to work as hard or the hours aren't quite so long. If the kids do end up in a job that requires long hours or back-breaking work, they feel like failures who have let their parents down.

With the new immigrants, they are so happy to have a job that they'll take just about any job. They'll take just about any discrimination or abuse just to keep that job. Yes, illegal immigrants bear more of this than legal immigrants, but with laws like Arizona's and Alabama's on the books, immigrants both legal and illegal will look for better, friendlier places to live and work which leaves farmers and other people dependent upon cheap labor up the proverbial creek.

I wish the legislatures had ask the farmers how many Americans were asking to be farm laborers before they instituted this. Certainly farmers had a running list of immigrant laborers who were applying for jobs so if Americans were interested, they should have been applying, too. The same goes for  hotel maid jobs and other menial jobs that immigrants tend to do. If Americans are interested in working them, they should be applying for them just like the immigrants do. When I talk to people hiring for these low-level jobs, they talk about the same immigrants coming day after day to see if today they might be lucky. The Americans tend to apply once or twice then give up. Do we need to teach perseverance, too? I don't think the Americans are lazy or unmotivated, but they have a very different set of expectations and skill sets that aren't a good fit for these sorts of low-level, menial jobs. I'm sure the immigrants would like to earn minimum wage, too, but they take whatever job they can get whereas the Americans tend to think that something better will come along.

This isn't an easy problem to solve, and there aren't likely to be any easy solutions that can be easily legislated. Like many problems, compromise is essential. Given the far-reaching implications of these types of legislations, this is way more difficult than rocket-science. At least with rocket-science, you have a whole slew of mathematical equations which form relationships between the many things you are balancing. With illegal immigration, there are no clear cut relationships one can determine.