BC's, like regulators, should be inspected and/or serviced at least annually by someone with the training, equipment, skills and time to do so. Scottri did a pretty good job of explaining the overview of inspecting a bcd but that's only an overview - it isn't enough information to do it yourself. What do you lubricate, what don't you lubricate, how do you remove a sticky valve cover without cracking anything, when (and how) do you change a Schrader valve, what do you do with those big white chunks :11: inside the bladder, etc. It's not something you learn to do in 15 minutes, even if it only takes that long for someone who knows what they're doing to get the job done. If you can do it on your own, go for it. If you're short on any of the four requirements, it's a false economy to try and do it yourself. Spend the money and have it done by a professional - you'll get better performance from your BC and it will have a longer life. By the way, having a pro clean and inspect your BC every year doesn't absolve you from the need to thoroughly rinse (inside and out) your BC regularly.
Service turnarounds are a complaint at many shops. Some shops use their service centers as a fill-in for their schedules. When they have time to service things they do but it's just not their first, second (or even third) priority. Other shops have a hard time finding enough qualified technicians to do the work. In areas where diving is seasonal, balancing the load enough to keep techs busy during the off-season is almost impossible. Divers can do their part by having gear serviced during the off-season when possible (ask for a deal) and by not waiting until the last minute to have their gear serviced - and by being prepared to pay for the service they need. If you aren't happy, speak your peace and if that doesn't work, look for a new shop.
Speaking of looking for a new shop - if yours doesn't service their rental fleet regularly, don't take that as an excuse to skip servicing yours. Instead, you should start the process of looking for a shop that doesn't take that kind of risk with their customers lives.
Dive safely - and remember that proper equipment maintenance is one of the critical components to a safe dive.
Service turnarounds are a complaint at many shops. Some shops use their service centers as a fill-in for their schedules. When they have time to service things they do but it's just not their first, second (or even third) priority. Other shops have a hard time finding enough qualified technicians to do the work. In areas where diving is seasonal, balancing the load enough to keep techs busy during the off-season is almost impossible. Divers can do their part by having gear serviced during the off-season when possible (ask for a deal) and by not waiting until the last minute to have their gear serviced - and by being prepared to pay for the service they need. If you aren't happy, speak your peace and if that doesn't work, look for a new shop.
Speaking of looking for a new shop - if yours doesn't service their rental fleet regularly, don't take that as an excuse to skip servicing yours. Instead, you should start the process of looking for a shop that doesn't take that kind of risk with their customers lives.
Dive safely - and remember that proper equipment maintenance is one of the critical components to a safe dive.