Re: A/C & Heater Replacement??

 First thing you should do is immediately go out and buy a Carbon Monoxide
detector if you do not have one (every home should have one no matter
what).. If it is is a cracked heat exchanger you run the risk of having
having carbon monoxide get into your home especially with the yellow flame
you mentioned which indicates improper combustion. Definitely get a 2nd and
perhaps a 3rd opinion/estimate. As for choosing contractors - you may want
to look at contractors that have been around a while and maybe ask neighbors
and co-workers. Then after you get 2 or 3 companies in mind contact the
local BBB office and see if any of them have  unresolved complaints against
them and how many (even a good contractor may get complaints against them
but they will work to resolve them).

                                                       Henry

"ishtarbgl" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[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.