# NEED ASNWER QUICK--Heating/AC estimate--is this reasonable? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 23, 2013, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-asnwer-quick-heating-ac-estimate-is-this-reasonable/648155 "2013-01-23T22:00:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-asnwer-quick-heating-ac-estimate-is-this-reasonable/648155/21 "2013-01-24T04:06:19Z")
Before signing a bid, I would get at least one if not two more bids. ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-asnwer-quick-heating-ac-estimate-is-this-reasonable/648155/22 "2013-01-24T21:04:49Z")
> [@](#): > > OPTION # 1: REPAIR YOUR CURRENT UNIT > THE UNIT HAS A STICKING REVERSING VALVE AND A VOLTAGE DROP ACROSS THE RELAY ON THE BOARD. THE UNIT IS UNDER WARRANTY. THE UNIT NEEDS A FULL CLEANING ESPECIALLY THE BASE PAN. THE BASE PAN IS FULL OF MUD. > > TOTAL COST: $426.00 I’d call them, and ask them to do just the warrenty work, no cleaning. If the base pan is full of mud, that seems an easy way to reduce any bills. Go clean out your own mud. It seems like they are trying to hide free warrenty work inside of other billable activities, either to make money, or to keep you from having the warrenty work done. Time to decouple them. ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-asnwer-quick-heating-ac-estimate-is-this-reasonable/648155/23 "2013-01-24T21:16:27Z")
> [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](#): > > I’d call them, and ask them to do just the warrenty work, no cleaning. If the base pan is full of mud, that seems an easy way to reduce any bills. Go clean out your own mud. It seems like they are trying to hide free warrenty work inside of other billable activities, either to make money, or to keep you from having the warrenty work done. Time to decouple them. In those situations, there are always 2 warranties. There is money to be made here, even without the cleaning of the mud. In other words, no part of this work scope will be unprofitable. The parts are under warranty, their labor is not, so the meter will be running on the labor. But I agree, if the homeowner is willing, a decent part of the overall work scope is DIYable, and he might consider having them do just the technical stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-asnwer-quick-heating-ac-estimate-is-this-reasonable/648155/24 "2013-01-24T23:39:47Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > Bosda, > > I’m an ass (and some people call me a thread sh—er and curse at my posts for no reason). That said, where you live, can’t your utility submit to you a free quote? Can’t you ask them? > > It might be more than whats quoted (and sometimes less) but usually it can be tacked onto your bill (and sometimes spread out several months at 0%). Yes, they may try to sell you an insurance contract afterwards for $7-$8 a month … and if you had had it, this would all have been free. > > Fine, I’m still an ass. But its a free quote. You don’t even ever have to admit that you ever read my advice, let alone took it. Um, I don’t resent it–neither do I understand it.😕 What does my local electric power company have to do with my home heat pump? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-asnwer-quick-heating-ac-estimate-is-this-reasonable/648155/25 "2013-01-24T23:43:00Z")
No. I am useless with tools, & don’t really own any. Except a small repair kit. No power tools. Not even a brace & bit. I was injured in childhood, & I have reduced manual dexterity. I know my limits. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-asnwer-quick-heating-ac-estimate-is-this-reasonable/648155.md?page=1)