HVAC techs can be some of the slimiest individuals to deal with because 90% of the time when they’re called they’re REALLY needed.
Don’t like what I have to say, well you can continue to freeze to death or burn to death.
They know they have leverage because they know you’re over a barrel and can slip in all kinds of surprise fees and surprise charges.
I remember when I bought my very first home, a top floor condo, the heat pump died about 18 months after I closed on the house.
It was the end of August and temperatures were consistently in the high 80s low 90s with 70% humidity.
I got two replacement quotes from two different companies, and actually went with the company that came in a little higher only because they would give me the first service free and discounted the service contract.
$3900 was the quote.
Imagine how breathtaking I was when after completion they handed me an invoice for almost $4750 after tax!
All kinds of crap that was not articulated by them was in the final invoice. Refrigerant capture fees, disposal fees, initial refrigerant charge, line set, pump pad, initial system calibration fee.
I looked at the tech and said what is this. I’m not paying this this is not what I agreed to nor was informed of when I received the quote.
He said he doesn’t write up the invoices I have to call the office. I called the office customer service rep-we went back-and-forth for a bit, and I left saying I’m not paying this I’ll pay what we agreed to and hung up.
The tech that was there knew I was hot. He got a call about two minutes after I hung up. It was brief but the entire time he kept diverting his eyes for me and looking down like he didn’t want to do whatever it was he was being instructed to do.
I directly addressed him and said what were you just told. He sighed and said his boss told him to remove the capacitor in the heat pump and the board. Basically disable the system until I pay the total invoice.
I told him, do you want to try that? You look back at me and said, I don’t get paid enough to put my body in danger.
anyway In 2020 government made it mandatory to go to a more environmentally friendly Freon so any leak or repair to any units that require Freon you will have to get a new unit after 2020 now you up on thang so start save no now $$$
