HVAC Woes

[shurguywutt]

He said it was $700 in labor and ~$1500 for the part.

I already have an idea what I am going to do. A neighbor uses an old guy that has an HVAC company. The old guy's son has been working with him to eventually take over the business. I am going to give him a call for another opinion.

The guy just came out and he said there is nothing wrong with my unit. The TXV valve was not bad. He said that company that I originally had out just got bought out in the past year (by an equity firm) and they pay the techs 10% commission off the invoices. He said the equity firms are ruining the HVAC industry and he gets these calls every day SMH.

Thanks for the input guys, hopefully others can learn from this experience too, imagine it being an old lady or a single mom, its nauseating.

 

[SC Maintenance]

The guy just came out and he said there is nothing wrong with my unit. The TXV valve was not bad. He said that company that I originally had out just got bought out in the past year (by an equity firm) and they pay the techs 10% commission off the invoices. He said the equity firms are ruining the HVAC industry and he gets these calls every day SMH.

Thanks for the input guys, hopefully others can learn from this experience too, imagine it being an old lady or a single mom, its nauseating.

It might be worse now, but this is far from new. Glad your good to go.

 

[Rand]

The guy just came out and he said there is nothing wrong with my unit. The TXV valve was not bad. He said that company that I originally had out just got bought out in the past year (by an equity firm) and they pay the techs 10% commission off the invoices. He said the equity firms are ruining the HVAC industry and he gets these calls every day SMH.

Thanks for the input guys, hopefully others can learn from this experience too, imagine it being an old lady or a single mom, its nauseating.

Sounds about right. There might be comparisons but there is no doubt HVAC is one of the slimiest fields with highest markups and labor.
no offense to anyone in that field... the bad reputation is deserved by many but not all in the field of course.

 

[John105]

The guy just came out and he said there is nothing wrong with my unit. The TXV valve was not bad. He said that company that I originally had out just got bought out in the past year (by an equity firm) and they pay the techs 10% commission off the invoices. He said the equity firms are ruining the HVAC industry and he gets these calls every day SMH.

Thanks for the input guys, hopefully others can learn from this experience too, imagine it being an old lady or a single mom, its nauseating.

I have also found hvac to be similar to car repair. First of all, the big boys. I found a 2002 yellow pages in 2020, and looked up hvac. Only 2 cos were still in business 18 years later. Phila suburbs.

Then, the small operation with 500+ positive reviews and 4.8 etc? There is a wait to get him over. When he does? He’s like the Japanese indie who told me after Lexus said I need $6700 in repairs. You need $0.

I was convinced I needed my A coil cleaned based on the internet and forums. He said why? I’m not going to take your money because you don’t need it. I promise. You run with a filter it’s clean. Your issue is your blower is like an old man. Can’t blow at age 18 like it could when 5.

Flash forward to 2020 when the entire system was ripped out and in the driveway. I could see the A coil and it was clean as a baby’s bottom (are they clean lol).

Also like the plumber who came and fixed the leak for $0 (packing nut). There are honest guys out there. Hats off to them for earning an honest living.

 

[shurguywutt]

There are honest guys out there. Hats off to them for earning an honest living

Amen, you just gotta sift through a bunch of scoundrels sometimes.

 

[zzyzzx]

He said that company that I originally had out just got bought out in the past year (by an equity firm) and they pay the techs 10% commission off the invoices.

Never call in service from companies owned by private equity. The same applies to a vet or dental office.

 

[Cropduster172]

The cracked heat exchanger for a gas furnace and the capacitor for AC are the 2 biggest scams in that industry. If you legitimately have a cracked heat exchanger in a HE furnace, it will shut down repeatedly...ok you need a new furnace. But if it's working and not shutting down repeatedly and some service dude tells you it's cracked. Show him the door.