Re: A/C & Heater Replacement??

On Sat, 22 Nov 2003 15:25:42 -0500, "oldal4865" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote:

>
>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
>
Old Al,
Your advice was ok up until the last paragraph. A cracked heat
exchanger is NOT AN OLD SCAM, you fool. Anything can be a scam but a
real crack in a heat exchanger is not something to take lightly. Was
that furnace really cracked? I have NO unearthly idea. A second
opinion is in order. Dont make everyone think a crack is a scam. Its
Not.
Bubba