saga of "boiler boy"
This is kinda a long story - but basically Dave saved me over $1800.
heating issues - since early December my heat and hot water has been inconsistent. let me tell you not knowing if and when you will have hot water is stressful. esp during the Colorado winter
i called a local heating company - round 1
repair guy (from here on out referred to as 'boiler boy') comes over. I let him in and the conversation goes like this:
bb: "wow! you have a pool table?? I'm a 9ball player". (my pool table is hard to miss since it's in my front room)
me: "yes. I was a serious 9ball player for a while"
bb: (spots my speedskates on the couch) "oh! and you speedskate too?? I'm a big inliner"
me: "yes - I speedskate. uhhh - can you fix my boiler?"
bb goes down to the basement and is very chatty.
bb: "yeah - i was a Cat 1/2 track racer back in the day"
me: "really?"
bb: "that was back in the 80s - you were probably still in High School then"
me (thinking - he's trying to figure out how old I am) : "no - I graduated in '79"
bb: "i graduated in 75"
me - thinking: (great - now we know how old each other is - can the dude fix my boiler??)
me - thinking(now's a good time to mention my boyfriend and I bring dave up)
bb: "how long have you and your boyfriend been dating
me: 4 years and going strong (me thinking - that should give him a hint, eh?)
me "i'm going upstairs - let me know what you find out.
bb comes up 1 hour later "I think it was a maintenance issue and it's fixed now. It will be $188"
bb: "you also need outside combustion air ($500) and a couple of switches reveresed they were installed incorrectly ($600)
me: "if i can wait on those extra items - i think that's best"
bb: " that's fine and i'm certain your immediate issue with inconsistent heat should be fixed"
me: "great! I'm so relieved it's fixed" (I pay the guy and he leaves)
round 2 - a couple of days later boiler stops working
I call the heating company and BB comes back out. He's still pretty chatty and a bit embarrassed that the problem wasn't fixed.
bb: "I replaced a ignition wire that was cracked and that should fix it."
me: "thanks!"
bb(spoting my Seven in the front room): oh - do you work on your own bikes?
me: "no - my boyfriend does that. he can fix pretty much fix anything"
bb: "really? why don't you get him to fix your boiller"
me(trying to not be a smart-ass and be nice): "I need a professional to fix my boiler"
bb: "well that's good he can fix things - guys nowadays are such pansies"
me(thinking - 'wow - thanks for your opinion'): "umm...yeah they sure are"
bb: "ok...that should have fixed your problem. hopefully I'll be the hero"
me: "buh-bye"
round 3 - a couple of days later boiler stops working (again)
BB is getting frustrated he can't figure out the problem. Keeps telling me the boiler isn't up to code, it needs combustion air, it shouldn't be in a closest in a bathroom, i might need a new boiler for $9000.
me: "well - my boyfriend and I can do the outside combustion air - I'm sure it won't cost me $500 for materials"
bb: "yes - I'll draw a diagram of how it needs to be done"
me: "thanks"
bb: "I replaced your sparker assembly - between that and the combustion air it should fix the problem"
bb: "I'm giving you the special 'Service Parnter' price - $383."
me(thinking- well that's kinda high but worth it if actually fixes the problem)
me: "ok...here's the check. thanks!
Dave and I do the combustion air that weekend. 3 hours and $200 later we are done.
round 4 - a week later the boiler stops working (again)
hmm...I guess that $383 part wasn't the problem. I called the heating company and asked what their policy is of putting in (and the customer paying for parts that didn't work) and the customer service manager said they would make it right. me thinking i'll be getting a refund am relieved.
BB comes out again and he is getting really frustrated harping of the fact my boiler isn't up to code, my house inspector did me wrong by not telling me it wasn't up to code, that i need a new boilder.
bb: "well...i think the next thing is to clean the heat exchanger and that isn't cheap"
me(gulp): "what does 'isn't cheap' mean?"
bb: "well that stuff in there is toxic. people get lung infections from that stuff - probably around $1000"
me (double gulp): "will that fix the problem?"
bb: "i *hope* so"
me: "well i'm gonna have to think about that"
dave gets fed up and looks up Smith boilders online and calls the Smith boiler service manager
The Smith boiler service manager(Felix) tells Dave that $1000 is a ridiculous price to clean the heat exchanger. Felix asks Dave for the specific model number and a few other questions.
That night Dave checks out the boiler, checks are the relays and electrical parts with his ohm meter, looks at the $383 sparker assembly that was replaced. Realized the wire in the sparker assembly is cracked and is sparking at the frame and NOT at the tip of the sparker which iginites the flame.
Dave takes a digital pic and emails to Felix.
Felix: "uhhh...that's a problem"
Dave: "what do you mean?"
Felix: "that's the wrong part - I'll have the correct part sent to you tomorrow"
Felix :" the correct part is $60"
Dave: "wtf?? they charged my gf $383 for the wrong part?!!"
Felix: "yeah - well that's a high mark up for that part, eh?"
round 5 - I call the heating company and ask for a refund
bb:"well - it's $995 to clean your boiler and that's a good price"
me: "welll...Dave talked to Smith boilers and they think $1000 is way too steep to charge for cleaning the heat exchanger"
me: "and can i get a refund for that part that you put in and didn't work??"
bb: "well you'll have to pay for wire connector of that part and those aren't cheap"
me: "i'm guessing it's not $383 for a thing that looks like a spark plug wire, right??"
bb: "we can *do something for you*"
me: "what does that mean?"
bb: "we can deduct it from the cleaning"
me: "i don't know if i'm going to have it clean as Smith boiler thinks that's too high of a price"
me: "PLUS i don't want to tie the price of the part to the cleaning - i consider it 2 different transactions"
me: "AND I want to know EXACTLY what *we can do something for you* means"
me:"AND i want an answer today"
bb: "i'll have the service manager call you"
Service manager calls:
SM: "Steve tell me your boiler's been hurting for a long time and it's not up to code"
SM: "I'll tell you what - we will refund you the $383"
me: "GREAT!"
SM: "and you need to decide what direction you want to go with that unit as it sounds like it's not right for your house"
me(thinking this sounds like he is washing his hands of this and doesn't want me to ever call back)
me: "ok..thanks - i'll be looking for the check in the mail"
Dave replaces the $383 part for the $60 part and it's been working like a champ ever since.
Damn that dave is something else, eh?
oh and to BB - "uhhh - i guess my boyfriend did fix my boiler"
heating issues - since early December my heat and hot water has been inconsistent. let me tell you not knowing if and when you will have hot water is stressful. esp during the Colorado winter
i called a local heating company - round 1
repair guy (from here on out referred to as 'boiler boy') comes over. I let him in and the conversation goes like this:
bb: "wow! you have a pool table?? I'm a 9ball player". (my pool table is hard to miss since it's in my front room)
me: "yes. I was a serious 9ball player for a while"
bb: (spots my speedskates on the couch) "oh! and you speedskate too?? I'm a big inliner"
me: "yes - I speedskate. uhhh - can you fix my boiler?"
bb goes down to the basement and is very chatty.
bb: "yeah - i was a Cat 1/2 track racer back in the day"
me: "really?"
bb: "that was back in the 80s - you were probably still in High School then"
me (thinking - he's trying to figure out how old I am) : "no - I graduated in '79"
bb: "i graduated in 75"
me - thinking: (great - now we know how old each other is - can the dude fix my boiler??)
me - thinking(now's a good time to mention my boyfriend and I bring dave up)
bb: "how long have you and your boyfriend been dating
me: 4 years and going strong (me thinking - that should give him a hint, eh?)
me "i'm going upstairs - let me know what you find out.
bb comes up 1 hour later "I think it was a maintenance issue and it's fixed now. It will be $188"
bb: "you also need outside combustion air ($500) and a couple of switches reveresed they were installed incorrectly ($600)
me: "if i can wait on those extra items - i think that's best"
bb: " that's fine and i'm certain your immediate issue with inconsistent heat should be fixed"
me: "great! I'm so relieved it's fixed" (I pay the guy and he leaves)
round 2 - a couple of days later boiler stops working
I call the heating company and BB comes back out. He's still pretty chatty and a bit embarrassed that the problem wasn't fixed.
bb: "I replaced a ignition wire that was cracked and that should fix it."
me: "thanks!"
bb(spoting my Seven in the front room): oh - do you work on your own bikes?
me: "no - my boyfriend does that. he can fix pretty much fix anything"
bb: "really? why don't you get him to fix your boiller"
me(trying to not be a smart-ass and be nice): "I need a professional to fix my boiler"
bb: "well that's good he can fix things - guys nowadays are such pansies"
me(thinking - 'wow - thanks for your opinion'): "umm...yeah they sure are"
bb: "ok...that should have fixed your problem. hopefully I'll be the hero"
me: "buh-bye"
round 3 - a couple of days later boiler stops working (again)
BB is getting frustrated he can't figure out the problem. Keeps telling me the boiler isn't up to code, it needs combustion air, it shouldn't be in a closest in a bathroom, i might need a new boiler for $9000.
me: "well - my boyfriend and I can do the outside combustion air - I'm sure it won't cost me $500 for materials"
bb: "yes - I'll draw a diagram of how it needs to be done"
me: "thanks"
bb: "I replaced your sparker assembly - between that and the combustion air it should fix the problem"
bb: "I'm giving you the special 'Service Parnter' price - $383."
me(thinking- well that's kinda high but worth it if actually fixes the problem)
me: "ok...here's the check. thanks!
Dave and I do the combustion air that weekend. 3 hours and $200 later we are done.
round 4 - a week later the boiler stops working (again)
hmm...I guess that $383 part wasn't the problem. I called the heating company and asked what their policy is of putting in (and the customer paying for parts that didn't work) and the customer service manager said they would make it right. me thinking i'll be getting a refund am relieved.
BB comes out again and he is getting really frustrated harping of the fact my boiler isn't up to code, my house inspector did me wrong by not telling me it wasn't up to code, that i need a new boilder.
bb: "well...i think the next thing is to clean the heat exchanger and that isn't cheap"
me(gulp): "what does 'isn't cheap' mean?"
bb: "well that stuff in there is toxic. people get lung infections from that stuff - probably around $1000"
me (double gulp): "will that fix the problem?"
bb: "i *hope* so"
me: "well i'm gonna have to think about that"
dave gets fed up and looks up Smith boilders online and calls the Smith boiler service manager
The Smith boiler service manager(Felix) tells Dave that $1000 is a ridiculous price to clean the heat exchanger. Felix asks Dave for the specific model number and a few other questions.
That night Dave checks out the boiler, checks are the relays and electrical parts with his ohm meter, looks at the $383 sparker assembly that was replaced. Realized the wire in the sparker assembly is cracked and is sparking at the frame and NOT at the tip of the sparker which iginites the flame.
Dave takes a digital pic and emails to Felix.
Felix: "uhhh...that's a problem"
Dave: "what do you mean?"
Felix: "that's the wrong part - I'll have the correct part sent to you tomorrow"
Felix :" the correct part is $60"
Dave: "wtf?? they charged my gf $383 for the wrong part?!!"
Felix: "yeah - well that's a high mark up for that part, eh?"
round 5 - I call the heating company and ask for a refund
bb:"well - it's $995 to clean your boiler and that's a good price"
me: "welll...Dave talked to Smith boilers and they think $1000 is way too steep to charge for cleaning the heat exchanger"
me: "and can i get a refund for that part that you put in and didn't work??"
bb: "well you'll have to pay for wire connector of that part and those aren't cheap"
me: "i'm guessing it's not $383 for a thing that looks like a spark plug wire, right??"
bb: "we can *do something for you*"
me: "what does that mean?"
bb: "we can deduct it from the cleaning"
me: "i don't know if i'm going to have it clean as Smith boiler thinks that's too high of a price"
me: "PLUS i don't want to tie the price of the part to the cleaning - i consider it 2 different transactions"
me: "AND I want to know EXACTLY what *we can do something for you* means"
me:"AND i want an answer today"
bb: "i'll have the service manager call you"
Service manager calls:
SM: "Steve tell me your boiler's been hurting for a long time and it's not up to code"
SM: "I'll tell you what - we will refund you the $383"
me: "GREAT!"
SM: "and you need to decide what direction you want to go with that unit as it sounds like it's not right for your house"
me(thinking this sounds like he is washing his hands of this and doesn't want me to ever call back)
me: "ok..thanks - i'll be looking for the check in the mail"
Dave replaces the $383 part for the $60 part and it's been working like a champ ever since.
Damn that dave is something else, eh?
oh and to BB - "uhhh - i guess my boyfriend did fix my boiler"
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