Worried about HVAC repairman

10 years ago

I called an HVAC repairman when my Goodman propane heating system's rollout switch kept tripping, and the heat wouldn't fire. He came in & at first said after checking the unit that it was extreme carbon buildup that clogged the unit, largely due- in his opinion- to improper initial installation, and that a complete cleaning of my unit was needed- with a few other changes (added ventpipe?) to cost me around $1000. But he came back thereafter and started working, and soon after said that the heat exchanger needed replacing. He removed almost everything inside my unit, and asked me for $650 for the replacement exchanger. He also said that the payment should be made out to him, because the supplier would only take checks directly from the contractor. He indicated that now the job was going to be more involved, but he assured me that he'd collected detailed evidence of the initial installer's improper installation, and that he'd be responsible to pay for the repairs. He came back with the new heat exchanger (I didn't see it to be certain, & he hasn't given me a receipt for this part). He restored the unit to working order so he could run tests of it's operating capacity, and wants to charge me $3000 to fully do everything to complete the work so that it will run to its full capacity. Uhhh....after writing this I really have started to feel very stupid... First of all, I can't find a Goodman heat exchanger that costs even half of what I gave him for mine. This guy talked technical stuff incessantly, and seemed to be the most conscientious of HVAC technicians. He spoke with an attorney he knew for me about how to approach the installer about paying for all this, but- surprisingly enough- now that attorney said it's too small an issue, but for $500-$1000 he'd write a letter for me...lol.

I'll be talking to consumer affairs tomorrow.

Featured Answer

mike_home

10 years ago

Is the guy who did the repairs a legitimate HVAC company or is somebody doing side jobs? A $1000 to clean a furnace, then discovers the heat exchanger is cracked after he takes everything apart? How did the bill get to $3000?

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Comments (10)

sktn77a
10 years ago
$5000-$1000 for an attorneys's letter? That make me think both of them are taking you for a ride. The original installer is going to deny any wrongdoing and you're going to have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that it was his incompetence and that will be much harder that just one other installer's opinion (eslecially after the fact). It's not worth you time to fight it - you'll lose. Chalk it up to the school of hard knocks and find a new repairman for future work.
tunester52 thanked sktn77a
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Elmer J Fudd
10 years ago
The guy sounds like a crook, for those charges you could almost buy a new furnace and have it installed. I'd ask him to remove everything and go away.
tunester52 thanked Elmer J Fudd
capedude
10 years ago
+tunester52 A top end goodman furnace cost a contractor around $1200. They are a budget brand. You are getting screwed over. Propane run through an in-shot burner at low pressures causes massive sooting. Manufacturers found this out about a decade ago and required most units to run at pressures over 7in WC min (vs ~3 for nat gas). Replacement parts from a mfg are marked way up, I could believe 650 for a HX, but that is why you are better off replacing than repairing when you have a HX failure unless the unit is designed for replacement.
tunester52 thanked capedude
geoffrey_b
10 years ago
In this day - don't ever do business with a 'one man show' (what happens if he's on vacation, sick, injured, dead?) Many of these 'systems' have a complexity - and if you don't have heat - you need support - PDQ. You need a vendor that has a team, that will support the HVAC system that they sold you.
tunester52 thanked geoffrey_b
PRO
Cash's Heating and Cooling
10 years ago
I'm afraid you've been ripped off. In the future, I would recommend you get a second opinion to make sure any questionable charges are actually necessary. Google reviews are a great way to find reputable businesses. Sorry to hear of this!

cashsheatingandcooling.com
tunester52 thanked Cash's Heating and Cooling
tunester52
Original Author
10 years ago
Well, the ripping of will end at $650 for the Heat Exchanger, if I don't get that back....
Vith
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
He restored the unit to working order so he could run tests of it's operating capacity, and wants to charge me $3000 to fully do everything to complete the work so that it will run to its full capacity

He came back with the new heat exchanger (I didn't see it to be certain, & he hasn't given me a receipt for this part)

So it technically was fixed for $650 (that is if he actually replaced the heat exchanger or if it even needed it) and only needs a couple more things reattached he left undone so he could pump you for cash.

Get someone else to come in and finish the job for a couple hundred? This would also get you a second opinion and to check what he did.
tunester52
Original Author
10 years ago
Yes- If it worked at that point, it'll work again. And I have no idea about the status of Goodman's coverage on the HX. Do they directly repay the owner of the system?
girlnamedgalez8a
7 years ago
This is exactly why I now have a Home Warranty. I got so tired of being taken by one repairman after another. It doesn't happen when I go through my warranty Co. Each repair, $75.00 and that is it.