"George E. Cawthon" wrote in message
...
I understand that service on some stuff is needed, but heck,
I don't do any service other than occasional cleaning on my
refrigerator or my freezer, and I don't do service on my
electric stove or microwave either.
Why do I need to do service every year on my A/C? Don't
they make a decent product, since it doesn't work as much as
my refrigerator?
Moves a hell of a lot more air, more often than your fridge...
After nearly 20 years I did have my A/C
serviced as part of a free deal for installing a gas
furnace. He cleaned the inside unit, and he cleaned the
outside unit (wasn't dirty because I keep it clean). Then
he measured the power draw and said it was probably failing
because it read low (low amps).
Ummm....George...I hate to break it to you, but depending on the time of
year and the ambient temps....its GONNA read low..and low is NOT a sign of
impending doom....HIGH is...and thats ONLY if its near RLA and the
superheat, or subcool, depending on the metering device used in the system
is dead on.
Therefore, he was lying to you.
He looked at the relay and
said it needed replacement which we declined at about $200,
and he oiled the motor.
Thats all? No..not the $200...thats all meaning that all he did was oil the
motor? Damn hacks...hate em.
Installed, the most expensive relay....or contactor as they are called if we
are talking about the same part, in a normal, under 5 ton system, made in
the last 20 years double pole, 24VAC coil, is about $75 INSTALLED, and thats
if thats all that wrong with it....at least here...and sometimes, its much
less.
Two years later my wife heard the
gurgling at the furnance and the air didn't seem as cool as
before, so we called another person who looked it over,
didn't find anything indication of anything wrong with the
motor or relay, but added 1/2 pound of freon since the
pressure was a bit low. The last guy charged $55.
Now to split hairs....and maybe teach everyone something.....
First, pressure reading low is the WRONG way to check a unit. Sorry. Its
wrong. Checking superheat, or subcool is the ONLY way to tell if the units
low. Granted...you heard a gurgling at the evap coil.....thats normally a
sign of either what we call flash gas, or a low condition, or, it might also
be a sign that the condensor coil is not doing its job due to fan speed, fan
location if the fan motor has been replaced, or actual airflow over the
coil, IE, dirt you cant see.
Second...did he use a scale to measure the amount of R22 he put in? If all
he did was slap a manifold on the unit, take his little green jug with him,
and start adding...he stole from you. Period. I dont care if he charged you
$10..he stole it as sure as if he put his hand in your pocket and took it
without your permission.
$55? Good price for the service fee......5 years ago...
Now why
should I pay a capital cost $1400 and then spend over $2000
for maintenace ($100 a year for 20 plus years)?
You dont get it.
You have spent $XXXXX on the most expensive applicance in your home..the one
that you depend on more than any other....
I guess when you go spend $40,000 on a car, you never need to put tires on
it, or change the oil, service the transmission, or wash it either.
First of all, its a given fact that $1400 wont buy you anything hardly today
in new equipment. Most of the gas units we install today cost more than that
wholesale and in Feb or Jan of each year, every maker goes up again. Mine
will go up 2% in Feb as per the statement we just got.
Now, in order to maintain the equipment, you, or someone, must service it.
Period. Todays warranties state cleary that abuse will void warranty. Lack
of service is considered abuse. Also, there is not a unit on the market
today..none...that are designed to last more than 15 years under normal
service.....normal service is considered having the unit serviced
correctly....
Why temp fate and shorten it?
Sure a gas furnace needs mainteance, but an electric furnace
doesn't.
Wrong.
The guarantee however may be dependent on regular
maintenance.
There ya go...
My furnace needed a new control board in the
first year and this year (nearly four years) it needed the
inductor motor resealed. I didn't have to pay for the call
because they agreed that regular maintenance would have made
any difference.
Umm....that should have been warranty no matter what. Most units have a min
of a 5 year parts warranty on them anyway....but...that last sentence is
confusing...they did, or did NOT agree that a service would have made any
difference? Had it been serviced, they might have found that the seal was
going bad, and repaired it and saved you the hassle...I dunno...maybe they
just do things different in other areas.
And, the guy noted that the burners were
working properly and the flame sensor was clean.
So..he checked heat rise, gas valve pressure, the condition of the evap coil
since its going to be downstream and any restriction in it due to excessive
dust or mold will create a condition that will eventually crack your heat
exchanger, he pulled the motor assembly and cleaned it, and he checked the
condition of all the safetys that were not on your old unit that you have on
the new one, and he ran the board through a complete diagnostic check to
make sure that the new one was acting right, and he took an amperage reading
on the motor and checked static pressures again, cleaned out the drip leg of
the gas line, checked the valves filter and made sure it didnt have anything
in it, checked the condition of all the other seals and door switches and
such........the flame sensor is about the last damn thing on the check
list....oh...he did check for gas leaks and CO too right?
So I have
my choice, pay $105 for the furnace maintenance once a year,
or $85 twice a year for furnance and A/C. Doesn't sound
like a good deal to me.
You will find that todays equipment is not as forgiving as yesterdays. They
are only going to get more complicated and less forgiving. IF you have a
condensing furnace, you will find they forgive nothing....little water in
the inducer fan in the wrong place...a clogged intake vent due to a wasps
nest....a clogged condensate drain...even something as simple as a vac line
that is loose, or not connected correctly will cause it to not run
correctly, and these are things that are checked during normal service.
Also, you will find that if you DO have a failure during times like
this...meaning, one of the busiest times of winter for the service
companies, if you are a regular, I hate to say it, but you DO find your way
to the top of the service list. We try to do a first call, first serve
basis, but if I have a customer that bought from me 5 years ago, and calls
and says they have no heat, and then I have a customer that does the
required service....and does it regularly...then guess who gets fixed first?
Its a simple matter of economics.
I might add, that $170 a year is cheap for a service contract....too cheap.
From what you have stated, I see why.
One last thought...from reading your posts, it seems that you have been
really screwed over by someone in the trade...and it almost sounds like its
your current company. Shameful. While surely you and most everyone else
understand that we dont do this for our health...there is no excuse to not
do what is right for the customer...so many companies are indeed afraid that
if they dont get as much as they can right now, there will be no other
income from that customer....and while there are times you will never see
that customer again....for whatever reason, its not the right way of
thinking.
Joseph Meehan wrote:
Don't forget one additional advantage of service contracts. It
helps
build a relationship with the provider. Then when the sudden heat spell
means everyone is calling to report a dead A/C, you should be nearer the
top
of the list.
For other people it may also mean they may get their unit inspected
more
often and not miss the failure about to happen or a dangerous situation.
That is not to say they are right for everyone. I am sure many are
nothing more than profit tricks and sales tricks by the provider. But
others are really legit.
--
Joseph E. Meehan
26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math
"tflfb" wrote in message
...
Annual contracts are great for the homeowner that has a problem with
changing out the air filter, or washing out the outside coils of a
heat
pump / a c unit, or hasn't the time, tools or knowledge to oil a
motor, or
spot a potential visual problem.
The agreement also gives the home owner a brake on part replacement
cost,
and they normally provide you with faster service in the event of a
break
down.
On my last agreement they did change out the humidifier screen, a new
air
filter, a flame sensor indicator, oiled the furnace motor, checked the
heat
exchanger for cracks, checked the burn color of the flame. In the
spring
they oiled the outside unit motor, combed out the fins on the coils
( hail
damage), hooked up gauges to check the charge.
This cost was $165 a yr. Not to bad, I only did this one time in 10
yrs.,
due to the hail, as it was just as cheap to sign up for the agreement,
as
to
pay for a service call, and labor cost once on the job site.
I oil the motors myself, wash out the coils outside, as needed in the
summer, and changed out my filter monthly. The humidifier is not in
use as
I
maintain 30-35% in the winter. I remove and wipe off the flame sensor
a
couple of times a season on the furnace. I bought and maintain carbon
monoxide detectors. My owners manual only recommended oiling the
motors
every 3 yrs.
After about 5yrs on my new units I may have them serviced,( both
motors
require no oil) only to make sure they are working efficiently, the 10
yr.
parts and labor warranty should cover the rest. I will maintain the
outside
unit.( keep it clean )
My reason for this is I feel that the cost of the agreement, eats up
the
savings in utility cost, a no brainier.
Tom