Re: A/C & Heater Replacement??

ishtarbgl wrote in message
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>...
>My wife and I moved into a 30 year-old house a year ago.  Everything
>worked ok over the past year but I have never been please with the
>A/C.  Well, as winter slowly approaches here in Louisiana I go to turn
>on my Gas heater and smell a small hint of gas.  Again, my pregnant
>wife smells it too.  So I shut everything down including the pilot
>light and call someone to come and inspect it.  I am clueless when it
>comes to this equipment and service so I just picked someone out of
>the yellow pages that appeared professional.  A man shows up and
>immediately panics and says I have a cracked chamber.  He says the
>evidence of this is to look at the flame where it is yellow?  Isn't
>most fire yellow to some degree?  I go down to my gas stove and see
>the same type of flame.  Of course I do plan to get a second opinion.
>Anyway, he has his boss come out and take a look to see what it would
>cost to basically replace everything and do some needed duct work.
>Here is what he proposed:
>
>Rheem 12 SEER (electric a/c and inside gas furnace part)
>redo and add some duct work throughout the house
>redo some of the piping that goes from the outside unit to the inside
>unit
>raise the slab where my outside unit will be so it is to code
>Cost: $5600 (includes tax and everything)
>
>Ultimately, it does sound like quite a bit of work and everything he
>proposed makes sense.  However, if you haven't already been able to
>tell from my description (i.e. outside unit vs. inside unit) I am
>completely naive about this whole process.  So if anyone out there can
>help me I sure would appreciate it.
>
>My concerns are this:
>How should I choose someone to do this type of work?  I want it done
>right but I can't really tell from the yellow pages who is
>professional and who isn't.
>
>Is Rheem the manufacturer I should go with?  I have always heard that
>Trane and American Standard was best.  This guy that gave me this
>quote even said that American Standard is probably a little better
>than Rheem but given my installation he said Rheem would be best.
>Again, I just don't know.
>
>Is electric A/C and Gas heat really the way to go?  Should I be
>considering other options?
>
>Any advice is greatly appreciated.  Simply put I am lost but have to
>get this done since Winter will be here before I know it and I don't
>want to risk any development issues with our new baby.

This is a chance to demonstrate how public-spirited you are.

   1.  Call cops
    2. Cooperate with cops in setting up sting operation for these birds who
are trying to adjust your disposable income for the coming year or two.

   Yellow flame means insufficient air.  Usually can be adjusted in the
twinkle on an eye. . .or the flick of a wrist just before you got there
(i.e. from blue to yellow for the sales pitch)

  Cracked heat exchangers are as old a furnace scam as there is.  However,
they usually pull it on older widows.   Going after expectant parents is a
stroke of genius.

Regards
   Old Al