Part technician, part storyteller, all human, Sean Henry Hansen has spent 38 years decoding the secret language of homes and the people who live in them.
Part technician, part storyteller, all human, Sean Henry Hansen has spent 38 years decoding the secret language of homes and the people who live in them.
Sean Henry Hansen isn’t your typical author. By day, he’s navigating labyrinthine basements and solving mechanical mysteries. By night, he’s translating those experiences into stories that reveal the hidden drama of everyday life.
“I don’t just fix systems. I listen to them. Every groan of a 50-year-old boiler, every rattle in the ductwork, every silent moment when a system kicks on, they’re all telling me something. After nearly four decades, I’ve learned that homes have more secrets than people realize.”
Unlike authors who write from ivory towers, Sean writes from the trenches, literally. His office might be a dusty mechanical room, his inspiration coming from a faulty circuit board or a family’s heated argument overheard during a service call.
Sean’s unusual career path began with wrenches and ended with words:
The Early Years:
The Turning Point:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sean found himself becoming an unlikely lifeline for stranded homeowners. The experience revealed something profound:
“I realized I wasn’t just fixing machines—I was helping people feel safe in their own homes. And every home had a story. Some were comedies, some were tragedies, all were human. The stories started demanding to be written.”
The Bridge Builder
Sean occupies a unique space between two worlds that rarely communicate:
To Technicians: “Your work matters in ways you can’t imagine. You’re not just fixing equipment—you’re entering people’s lives at their most vulnerable moments.”
To Homeowners: “Your repair technician sees the real you—the you before you’ve had your coffee, the you dealing with family stress, the you who just wants comfort and safety.”
Where the Magic Happens:
The Toolbox Metaphor
“Writing and HVAC repair aren’t that different. Both require:
A home is more than wood and wires; it’s a living, breathing entity. The HVAC system is its respiratory system, the electrical system is its nervous system, and the plumbing system is its circulatory system. When one part isn’t working, the whole house feels sick.
Great stories, like great mechanical systems, need proper flow. There has to be tension and release, buildup and payoff. A story that doesn’t move is like air that doesn’t circulate—it becomes stale and suffocating.
What I’ve learned is that both systems and souls need maintenance. Both can spring leaks. Both can overheat. And both respond better to careful listening than to brute force.
When asked if Andrew Baines is autobiographical, Sean smiles:
“Let’s just say I’ve never been wrongfully accused of murder, but I have walked into situations that felt like they were heading that way. Andrew is every technician’s alter ego—the version of us who says what we’re thinking and gets into the adventures we only imagine.”
Sean’s work serves a dual purpose:
For the HVAC Industry:
“I want to give voice to the thousands of skilled technicians who do essential work with little recognition. They’re the modern-day sherpas guiding homeowners through increasingly complex technological landscapes.”
For Readers:
“I want to help people see the poetry in their pantries and the drama in their ductwork. The most extraordinary stories are happening in ordinary homes every day.”
“What’s the strangest thing you’ve discovered in your home? The mysterious noise you can’t identify? The hidden room you didn’t know existed? The family story tied to your furnace? These are the stories that interest me most.”
“People often ask me which I enjoy more—fixing systems or writing stories. The truth is, I don’t see them as separate activities. Every service call is research. Every repaired furnace inspires a new character. Every family I help becomes part of my understanding of the human condition.
After 38 years, I’ve concluded that both homes and hearts need regular maintenance, occasional repairs, and someone who knows how to listen to what they’re trying to say.
I’m just fortunate enough to do both.”
– Sean Henry Hansen
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