Crazy Contractor Gives Away Furnace!!!

I'm sure you've seen the ads - "Crazy Contractor Gives Away Furnace!!!". It's a quarter-page ad (or bigger), in big bold print, and there's usually a picture of the contractor. The ad goes on to tell the story that the contractor has over-bought furnaces and must now give away 18 (or 12, or 26 - you pick the number) furnaces to make room for an incoming shipment, or to try and keep their installers working, or some other ridiculous reason. Sometimes, they'll even strike out the number and replace it with a lower one, which is apparently supposed to make you believe that someone had bought a new system just before the ad went to print! What a miracle!

If you believe this, then you deserve what you get. No legitimate contractor will begin a relationship with a customer by lying about their service, and that's exactly what this is. Furnaces are expensive, and no one can afford to give away something like that and stay in business. If you compare their price with other qualified contractors in the area, you'll find that the cost of the new system - which includes the FREE furnace - is the same (or more) than other legitimate contractors who are NOT giving away a furnace. So you're left to assume that either (a) the Crazy Contractor is lying to you or (b) everyone else is significantly overcharing you. You make the call!

The $29.95 Service Call

This one is legit. Their Service Call will only cost you $29.95. And then they'll charge you a $25.00 trip charge, and a $15.00 fuel surcharge, a $20.00 maintenance fee, and before you know it, that $29.95 Service Call has balloned to well over $100 - and that's BEFORE they actually diagnose or repair the system!

No legitimate contractor can charge you $29.95 and make a profit. Even a decent used truck costs over $15,000, and it's loaded with $10,000+ in parts and tools. The Technician is making at least $15.00/hr (if not significantly more), and fuel is running about $3 a gallon - and then you get into insurance, office expenses, and other overhead. In the Augusta GA area, even a small companay's cost of driving to your door is about $45.00, so just by arriving at your home, they've lost at least $15.00. No company can stay in business like that, and you can bet they're making it up somewhere else - and lying to you to boot!

Again, this is a contractor who is starting off their relationship with you by lying to you. No business can survive by losing $15.00 on every call, so they must make it up somewhere - and that's done by charging all those extra fees.

On time or you don't pay!!

This is similar to the $29.95 scam above. If the company isn't on time, you are given credit for the "service fee", which is usually around $20 - $30 dollars. The rest of the fees and charges are still in place, and you can almost bet they'll make up that "service fee" somewhere else.

Fixed Right or it's FREE!!!!

Your service company comes out and replaces your condenser motor. The system still doesn't work, so you call them back. They of course return to your home, refund your money for the first repair, and then perform all other needed repairs FOR FREE!!!

If you believe that one, then you're more gullible than I thought. Assuming the motor they installed is functioning, then the repair they performed is STILL WORKING - you now simply have another problem, and that one's gonna cost you as well. Any legitimate contractor stands behind their work, and they don't need some gimmicky catch phrase to let you know this. If they install a motor and it dies within the warranty period, they'll replace it for you at no charge. That's called "ethics", and a legitimate business should be practicing that anyway.

No Overtime Fees

This one can be trickier. In some cases, the company will not charge an overtime charge - because their regular rates are high enough to make that unnecessary! In other cases, the company won't charge you more for the service fee, but their labor rates will be higher. In other cases, they'll just make up the difference by tacking on higher prices to parts and such.

To be fair, however, there are some very small companies around who charge reasonable rates, and who don't charge for overtime. Most of those are startups who are trying to build a client base, and that's fine. It's when you see the big flashy ads where they blare the "NO OVERTIME" banner that your BS radar should be going crazy!

Nearly all R410A systems use some form of a "scroll" compressor, regardless of the manufacturer. These scroll compressors are models of efficiency, and do a great job under very demanding conditions. However, field experience has shown that they are not as well suited to adverse conditions as the older recirprocating compressors, and they don't stand up well when operating conditions start to get into the extreme ranges.

R410A systems also operate a MUCH higher pressures than the older R22 systems (almost double the pressures). While the older R22 systems could work adequately with an diryt/impacted condenser coil, newer R410a systems have a much more difficult time (since the higher pressures result in a much more severe impact on system performance when faced with restricted air flow).

Remember that the condenser coil (the outdoor coil) is what "cools" the refrigerant and allows that change of state from a gas to a liquid. A typical air-to-air heat pump uses a fan on the outdoor unit to do this, and that fan pulls air through the outdoor coil. If that coil is dirty and clogged, the system will be unable to remove a sufficient amount of heat from the refrigerant. The result will be a less comfortable home, poor performance, higher power bills, and possible system failure.

Of course, maintenance is much more than just coil cleaning. During your PM visit, the technician should also check many other aspects of your system:

• Electrical components
• Duct components
• Air quality (filters, air cleaners, etc)
• Saftey controls
• Refrigerant components
• Overall Performance

Depending on your type of system, the technician may perform several other services, or may recommend that you perform additional repairs or maintenance.

The goal of Preventative Maintenance is to make sure that your system is operating at peak efficiency and performance, and to perhaps alert you to conditions which may cause troubles - for example, leaking ducts, poor wiring, bearing issues etc. Heading troubles off before they start is a very important part of home maintenance.

The Clean Air Act, which was the basis for the phaseout of R-22, does not allow manufacturers to "produce new air conditioners and heat pumps containing R-22. Note the phrase "containing R-22".

Manufacturers quickly realized that they can build and ship condensing units that USE R-22, but those units cannot CONTAIN R-22. So they began to "dry ship" units, which means they build the unit and ship it with a holding charge of nitrogen. When your contractor installs it, they simply vent the nitrogen, evacuate the system, and charge it with virgin or recycled R-22. This does not violate the Clean Air Act, and you end up with less money out of pocket.

Of course, there are some potential drawbacks to this approach:

• As the supply of R-22 dwindles, the cost will certainly go up. It already has, and in fact the cost of R-410a (the replacement for R-22) is mostly the same.
• Parts availability may become an issues, as the industry continues its shift to manufacturing R410A components. In some cases (like filter driers) those components are interchangeable, but in many cases they are not (like compressors and TXVs)
• Technical support may become limited over time, as manufacturers shift their focus over to R410a.
• Availability of support components (like coils) could result in wasted money, or very lengthy delays in repairs, if your coil fails shortly after the new outdoor unit is installed - if the coil is no longer available, then you're faced with unit replacement again.
• You end up with a zero-sum game, in terms of efficieny and performance. You're not upgrading to a more efficient system, so your power bills will show little impact based on the new system.

Of course, the postive side of this is that you get back up and running again quickly, with less money out of pocket. If you're comfortable with the downside, and you're willing to take a gamble that your current supporting components will last at least a few more years, then installing a dry-ship R-22 unit might be a good fit for yo.

When that happens, you may be faced with some tough decisions, especially if you've replaced a major part of your system in the last few years.

Let's say you replaced your condensing unit 3 years ago. It's still under warranty, and it's got a lot of years of life left in it. Just today your HVAC contractor discovered your evaporater coil is leaking badly, is heavily rusted, and must be replaced. Before now this really wouldn't be a major issue - your contractor would get the right coil for your R-22 unit, install it, and you'd be on your way.

Now, however, as the availability of R-22 components begins to decline, you may find yourself in a tough situation. You may find that you cannot even GET a viable replacement coil, and you'll have to settle for one that is not well suited for the job, which can impact your comfort, efficiency and system life. Or, your contractor can have one brought in from an aftermarket vendor - but that can take weeks (and the forecast is for 95 degrees+ for the forseeable future) and will cost more than your first car did!

Unfortunately, these are the issues some consumers will face with this new mandate. Responsible companies have been advising their customers for years about this inevitable situation and hopefully most of those customers are in good hands at this point. Some contractors, however, have been less than responsible in this area, or have not bothered to keep up with industry trends, or are simply too interested in making a fast buck and may have led their customers down the wrong path. It's those customers who are going to end up paying the price for this.

So what can you do?

Keep your current system in good shape. Have your HVAC contractor perform regular maintenance on the system. Use your thermostat wisely. Keep your filters changed. Keep shrubs and landscaping away from it. Don't let the kids use it for their new fort.

All good advice.

But this is a mechanical device and, as such, will break down at some point. It's inevitable. And the big question is - what do you do at that point? The real problem comes about when your R-22 system requires a big repair, like a compressor or coil. Those are expensive. And those are also specific to the type of refrigerant used in the system. In other words, a compressor designed for R-22 cannot be used with R-410A. A coil designed for use with R-22 cannot be used in an R-410A system. So when you're faced with a big repair, it's time to get some facts:

• R-410A is THE choice for residential air conditioning. There are no others being considered by our industry at this time - every major manufacturer has embraced R-410A. Don't be talked into anything else.
• R-410A is safe. Yes, it works at higher pressures than does R-22, but it's no more dangerous than R-22 in every other aspect.
• R-410A systems are no more prone to breakdowns due to the higher pressures. Refrigerant-side components have been designed to take into account the higher pressures.
• R-410A systems use a different lubricating oil than do other systems, and it can be more prone to moisture absorption. However, with proper installation and service methods this is no more an issue than it was with older systems.
• R-410A technology and systems are established, reliable comfort systems. We are long past the "test and tune" phase.
• There is no such beast as a 'hybrid' system. Your system must use ALL R-22 components, or ALL R-410A components. The two cannot be mixed.
• R-22 systems ARE NO LONGER PRODUCED after 01/01/2010. Even if your contractor has a few in stock, stay away from them
• You cannot reuse refrigerant-side R-22 components with R-410A systems, including coils, linesets, etc. Some contractors may try to convince you that they can flush the linesets, reuse the coils with different metering devices, etc etc. Run away from these people and contact a reliable contractor like Wrenn Heating and Air.

R-410A has been field proven to be a very reliable refrigerant and one that performs very well, especially in heat pumps. It operates at higher pressures than did R-22 - and if you remember your high school physics, you know that pressure and temperature are tightly associated, so higher pressure refrigerants means that we can now produce higher duct temperatures. The days of the old heat pumps that blow tepid air are gone. New R-410A systems can produce duct temperatures that rival those of a gas furnace, and they do so very efficiently.

Of course R-410A is also environmentally friendly, if you're into that sort of thing. It has no flourocarbons, so therefore doesn't produce chlorine when it breaks down, which is what was supposed to be eating away at the ozone layer (which by some miracle never before seen seems to have healed itself). But that's another story entirely.

• Never leave a space heater unattended, even for a few minutes, even if it has a thermostat.
• Never use an extension cord with a space heater, no matter how large the cord.
• Never plug a space heater into an outlet that supplies other appliances. Space Heaters should always be plugged into a single outlet, and should be the only thing plugged into that outlet.
• Keep space heaters away from drapes, curtain, furniture and any other flammable objects. Be mindful of items which may produce flammable vapors, like paint, solvents, etc.
• Always place space heaters on solid, non-flammable surfaces. Never place a space heater on a desk, table, or chair.
• Be VERY careful when using space heaters around small children. The outer shell of a space heater can get extremely hot, and can cause serious burns.
• Never try to repair a space heater yourself. Take your heater to a licensed repair facility - try hardware store or appliance repair shops.
• If you use a kerosene-fueled space heater, make SURE it includes an oxygen sensor to turn the heater off in the event that the oxygen level in the space falls too low.
• Never use a kerosene-fueled space heater indoors in a non-ventilated room. These heaters can quickly use up all the oxygen in a room, replacing it with deadly Carbon Monoxide.
• Make sure you have a functional smoke detector and Carbon Monoxide detector. If you already have one, change the batteries every year.

Still, the best way to avoid the dangers of space heaters is to install a central heating and cooling system in your home. Call use today at (803) 279-4064 for your FREE estimate.

As noted above, CO comes from many sources, and we often don't really know all the items in our home which can produce CO. Some of them include

• Gas-fired water heaters
• Gas-fired furnaces
• Fireplaces
• Stoves or cooktops
• Garages
• Attached workshops

This list his hardly comprehensive, so think of any place in your home which has an appliance or appartus which burns some sort of fuel, and you have the potential for a CO problem.

So what can be done? The Consumer Product Safet Commission suggests this

• Make sure appliances are installed according to manufacturer's instructions and local building codes. Most appliances should be installed by professionals. Have the heating system (including chimneys and vents) inspected and serviced annually. The inspector should also check chimneys and flues for blockages, corrosion, partial and complete disconnections, and loose connections.
• Install a CO detector/alarm that meets the requirements of the current UL standard 2034 or the requirements of the IAS 6-96 standard. A carbon monoxide detector/alarm can provide added protection, but is no substitute for proper use and upkeep of appliances that can produce CO. Install a CO detector/alarm in the hallway near every separate sleeping area of the home. Make sure the detector cannot be covered up by furniture or draperies.
• Never burn charcoal inside a home, garage, vehicle, or tent.
• Never use portable fuel-burning camping equipment inside a home, garage, vehicle, or tent.
• Never leave a car running in an attached garage, even with the garage door open.
• Never service fuel-burning appliances without proper knowledge, skills, and tools. Always refer to the owner's manual when performing minor adjustments or servicing fuel-burning appliances.
• Never use gas appliances such as ranges, ovens, or clothes dryers for heating your home.
• Never operate unvented fuel-burning appliances in any room with closed doors or windows or in any room where people are sleeping.
• Do not use gasoline-powered tools and engines indoors.

Most homeowners aren't qualified to service a modern gas furnace, so you'll need to contact your HVAC contractor for this service. If you're in our service area, why not use our online Service Request to contact The Pros at Wrenn to have your furnace checked and serviced.

Carbon Monoxide Poisioning

So how do you know if you're a victim of CO poisoning? The symptoms are somewhat flu-like, although you'll have no fever. In general, most victims report

• Headache
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea
• Dizziness

While the mechanics of CO posioning are still not well understood in the medical community, we do know that Carbon Monoxide poisioning results in inadequate levels of oxygen reaching various portions of the body. There is some debate over how this occurs in the human body. Most experts agree that the hemoglobin, myoglobin, and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase are somehow compromised, leading to a lack of oxygen as noted above. Treatment of CO overexposure is generally oxygen therapy.

Below is a chart detailing some source concentrations of CO, courtesy of Wikipedia

• 0.1 ppm - natural background atmosphere level (MOPITT)
• 0.5 to 5 ppm - average background level in homes
• 5 to 15 ppm - levels near properly adjusted gas stoves in homes
• 100-200 ppm - Mexico City central area from autos etc.
• 5,000 ppm - chimney of a home wood fire
• 7,000 ppm - undiluted warm car exhaust - without catalytic converter
• 30,000 ppm - undiluted cigarette smoke

Please note that items relating to medical or health topics should be used as guidelines only. If you believe you've been exposed to harmful levels of Carbon Monoxide, seek medical assistance immediately - nothing is worth your life.

• What sort of system do you have? A heat pump? Gas furnace? Often a quick look at the outdoor unit will give you hint, or you can jot down the model number. Knowing this information can assist you service company in fixing your system more quickly.
• What problem are you having? This sounds like a no-brainer, but an accurate assessment of your problem begins with the first call. Is this the first time you've have this problem? Is this problem repeatable?
• Have you had recent troubles with the system and, if so, what repairs were made.
• Have there been any recent power events (i.e. power outages, lightening storms, etc).
• Has this problem occurred before? If so, when and how often?

When making your service request, make sure to give your contractor as much information as needed so they can quickly and easily locate your home, and get in touch with you, and then take heed of the following tips to insure prompt, professional service.

• Provide accurate phone numbers where you or a responsible party can be reached. Include cell phone numbers for quickest service, and make sure to keep your phone with you.
• Provide complete and accurate directions to your house, and remember that the service technician is most likely not familiar with your particular subdivision, so be complete and provide exact street names and numbers. Telling the service company to take the 3rd street on the left when it's really the 4th (since you never count that dirt road that's only a block or two long) can cause unnecessary delays and can result in higher costs for you.
• If you have to leave the house for any reason call the service company and tell them so. Many companies call before sending a truck, and a missed call can put your service request to the back of the line.
• If necessary, make sure you have keys to padlocks for the crawlspace, electrical panel, utility room, attic access or any other item the service man may need. If the contractor will need a ladder to get into an attic, make sure to let them know when you call.
• Have all service records available, especially if this his the first time you've worked with a particular contractor. Often it's very important to know what other repairs and services have been done to the system in order to make an intelligent analysis.
• Lock Fido up. Please. We really mean it. While he might be the nicest, cutest dog in the world, he's still very territorial and is most likely not pleased with a stranger being in his house. If you're uncomfortable with a stranger being in your house, arrange for a neighbor or family member to be with you during your service visit.
• Even if Fido is outside lock him up. If your service man has to constantly look over his shoulder to see where your dog is, you can bet you're not going to get a complete service since that service man is going to hurry through the process to get away from the dog. Also, in many cases the service company will not allow their employees into a yard with an unrestrained dog.
• Keep track of small children. While we make every effort to keep the work area safe, at times we must work with live voltage and when doing so we must concentrate heavily on the task at hand. We simply cannot keep track of the kids, so for their sake keep them away from the work area, or send them to a neighbor's house for an hour or so while the service man repairs your system.
• If you have delicate or expensive floor coverings let your service man know ahead of time, or remove or cover them up. While most companies wear paper booties to try and lessen dirt tracked into your home, no amount of scraping and such is going get every scrap of dirt from a workman's boots. Same applies to furnishings - if they need to be moved, either move them ahead of time or provide rags so that we won't scratch your furniture. We'll be glad to help, of course, but we must wear our boots when working on electrical equipment, since they help to protect us from electrical shocks.
• Make sure the service man knows where you'll be. Don't go over to the neighbor's house, or run up to the store without letting us know that no one will be in the house. We often must ask questions or get approval before moving forward with a repair so make sure the technician knows where they can reach you. In extreme cases this can mean missing a deadline for the parts store and costing yourself precious delivery days.
• Don't turn on light switches and such unless you're 100% certain the service man hasn't turned them off. Doing so can power on a system and can hurt a service technician (or worse). When in doubt, leave it off.
• Don't help us. We really mean it. We are trained to do our job, and are accustomed to doing things a certain way. We do appreciate your desire to help, but what we do takes specialized skills and involves dangerous voltages and moving parts.

So what can you expect from your service technician? Hopefully, they'll meet the requirements below

• The technician should arrive on time, or make you aware if they are going to be significantly late. A 15 minute window is a reasonable time for most companies; if the technician is going to be later than that, they should call and let you know. Please be understanding of this, however, since the technician has no control over traffic or other delays which come up during the day. Also, since our jobs are very fluid, often one will spill over to another. In those cases, we must finish the job we're on before we can move along to the next.
• The technician should get right to work, and should not spend time cleaning their truck or tools, or talking on the phone for an inordinate amount of time.
• If the technician must leave your home to pick up a part, or get a specialized tool, they should let you know this, and should let you know when you can expect them to return.
• The technician should explain to you the exact nature of your problem, using language you can understand. Modern heating and cooling systems are complex beasts and you can't expected to understand industry terms and jargon. And if you don't understand what we're saying, ask us to explain it again.
• The technician should provide you either (a) a complete, firm estimate for the repairs needed or (b) a reason as to why they cannot do so. In many cases, (b) is not an indication of trickery or underhanded dealings; sometimes, we must replace one component before we can test other items (for example, it's impossible to test a reversing valve if the compressor is not functional).
• The technician should give you an estimated time of repair. If the parts must be ordered they should provide some form of estimate as to an expected delivery date. Be aware, however, that delivery dates are often out of the hands of the service company.
• The technician should be able to give you details of the warranty you'll be given on the parts and labor. If they hesitate you might consider contacting the main office to verify this.
• The technician should be neat and presentable, and should make every effort to keep your home clean. Please bear in mind, however, that we do work outside and often crawl under houses so don't expect a suit and tie at each visit.
• The technician should be respectful of both you and your property. No off-color language, no driving over your grass without asking, no removal of shrubs/hedges/flowers without approval. When they move an item of furniture, they should move it back to the exact location. Anything less is unprofessional and should not be tolerated. And if nature calls, a professional service technician should excuse themselves and make way to the nearest convenience store or other facility - don't be embarrassed to tell the technician that you prefer they not use your bathroom.
• Finally, a technician should be honest with you. While this is hard to gauge, the best way to insure this is to get recommendations for a service company from friends, relatives, neighbors or other trusted sources. And if a technician just rubs you the wrong way - we're all human, after all - call the service company and ask that they send someone else over to finish your job. Be prepared to justify your reaction, but saying "I just don't trust him" is enough, and shouldn't jeopardize the technician's standing or reputation.

The good news is that installing high efficiency 13+ SEER equipment has many benefits. High efficiency systems save you money on your power bills, increase the comfort level in your home, and generally lasg longer and require fewer repairs.

High efficiency systems will certainly save you money on your power bills. Moving from an older 10 SEER system to a new 13+ SEER system can reduce your system electrical usage 15% or more, which means lower power bills. High efficiency systems utilize very efficient motors and controls, increased coil sizes, and efficient control setup and logic to achieve this. Plus, since high efficiency systems tend to perform better, the system can run less time to achieve the same result!

High efficiency systems generally perform better. All the research and development has been geared to the high efficiency race, and as such all the new developments are tied into the new equipment. Better air flow, more precise temperature controls, advancements in refrigerant delivery all equal more comfort for you.

High efficiency equipment tends to dehumidify better, which means better cooling comfort. Most 13 SEER systems use Thermostatic Expansion Valves (TXVs) to control the amount of refrigerant that is moved through the indoor coil, and systems controlled with TXVs tend to control humidity much better. TXVs also are much more precise, and can adjust to varying conditions. Older systems utilizing fixed metereing devices (like piston systems) provide a fixed amount of refrigerant, regardless of the needs of the system.

High efficiency equipment also generally moves more air through your duct system which results in cleaner air and a more comfortable living environment. Of course, this means that some older duct systems are not capable of handling the new systems, so don't be surprised if your contractor informs you that you'll have to upgrade or change your duct system.

High efficiency systems are generally quieter, due in large part to signifcant changes in blower design. These new blowers move more air, but do so utilizing larger blowers and enchanced vane designs.

High efficiency systems generally have better warranties, and tend to be better built than their less-efficient counterparts. This means fewer emergency service calls, and longer equipment life.

Wrenn Heating and Air installs high quality Ruud/Rheem© heating and cooling products. Ruud/Rheem manufactures a complete line of equipment, and offers effeciencies up to 16 SEER (and higher, as technologies advance). Ruud/Rheem offers competitive warranties on all equipment, and backs their equipment with years of technical know-how. Of course they offer extended parts and labor warranties as well.

• Check your insulation level. Inadequate insulation - especially in the crawlspace - can significantly impact your heating needs.
  
• Filters, filters, filters. I know, you're probably tired of hearing everyone mention this, but changing your air filter regularly can make a big difference in your home's heating needs, and can add years to the life of your furnace.
  
• Turn down the thermostat. Most utilities recommend a winter setting of 68; each degree you increase above that can raise your heating costs as much as 5%. Throw on a pair of sweats and turn down the temperature.


• Weatherproof your home. If you have old or leaky windows, have them replaced, or install storm windows. Your home's biggest enemy in the winter months is infiltration - cold air seeping into your home through cracks around doors and windows, around electrical outlets, through bathroom vents, and other areas.


• Invest in a programmable thermostat. Setting your thermostat down when you're at work can save dollars on your home heating bill.


• Make use of the sun. If your home has natural sun in the mornings or afternoons, open your drapes and blinds and let old Sol help heat your home.


• Use your wood burning fireplace. A load of firewood can be an inexpensive way to help heat your home in the winter.


• Have your heating system serviced. Improperly running furnaces can not only run up your heating costs, they can be downright dangerous. Call the Pros at Wrenn for a full service and inspection.


• If your heating system is 12+ years old, it's probably time to consider replacement. Older furnaces - especially gas furnaces - are terribly inefficient. Call us today for a FREE estimate.

Wrenn Heating and Air installs high quality Rheem© and Trane© heating and cooling products. Both lines offer many different combinations and options, from the baseline 13 SEER system up to 18+ SEER systems! All equipment sold by Wrenn Heating and Air comes with a full 5 year All Parts manufacturer's warranty, as well as a one year labor warranty. Extended parts and labor warranties are also available. Ask your technician for more information.