My wife and I paid for the installation of a furnace from Best Heating. According to the installer, Steve, the installation included reinforcement of the duct work that inevitably would come ""crashing down"" as they removed the old furnace. We were told the ducts were held together loosely with a few screws. Steve assured that the furnace and duct work would be installed correctly.
After the installation, Steve explained that the furnace room was extremely warm due to insufficient exhaust ventilation. He supposedly inspected the rooftop vents and took video that showed wasp nests and debris blocking airflow, and that repair would be necessary to keep the furnace room temps regulated. He explained that the furnace was switching on and off frequently because of the safety limit switch overheating. However, we were told that the old furnace wash shutting on and off due to it being undersized (one of the main reasons for us to replace the existing furnace).
A day after the installation I heard extremely loud rattling and attempted to contact the owner of Best Heating. I emailed and left several voicemail messages, but nobody called back. After many calls, the receptionist finally answered. She told me I needed to schedule an appointment.
Steve returned with a partner to look into the rattling. I explained I found that a metal adhesive used to seal the vents had blown off and was smacking the ductwork, causing a loud metallic banging noise. Steve apologized profusely for not calling back. He reeked of alcohol and cigarettes, and would not stop apologizing. I explained that the disconnected adhesive left a huge hole in the side of the duct (about 5” Diameter). The heat and air was billowing from that area. Steve said this was the old adhesive and he would reinforce it. Steve did not take the old adhesive out, but simply patched the hole with new adhesive.
I asked for the video of the wasp nests in the rooftop vents, and Steve said he was going to take another video. I said to send the one he already had. More apologies and promises. Steve never followed up.
On Jan 6 the new furnace made a very loud buzzing noise and went out. My wife called Best Heating. A groggy woman answered who almost forgot to take down my wife's contact info before hanging up. She said nobody could get there until 4pm, but my wife said that was unacceptable, the receptionist said she would see what they can do and hung up. She never called back. My wife called Steve, who said he would be there at 10am. He never showed.
My wife examined the furnace room and found a HUGE uncovered gap (approx 3’L x 6”W) in the back wall. Hot air was billowing out of the gap, overheating the room and setting off the limit switch that eventually shut the furnace down completely. I called Best Heating and told them I was livid. I demanded to speak with the owner; who never called back.
Another repairman showed up around 3pm. He said the installer ""missed"" that area when installing, and he taped a sheet metal flap over the gap in an attempt to patch the hole. That night, the furnace buzzed loudly, rattled, vibrated, and at the end of each cycle there was a loud metal on metal slamming sound.
After investigating the buzzing noise, I found the old ductwork adhesive sealing the furnace and the duct came loose and was buzzing as the air blew out of the cracks. I also found that the sheet metal came loose and would slam home at the end of the cycle. The furnace cycled on and off every four minutes.
Each time a furnace ignites, it uses the same amount of BTUs as baking a cake. So, in essence, the furnace is burning the gas energy equivalent of a cake every four minutes.
I called Best Heating with an escalating rant demanding they remove and reinstall the entire furnace, that the owner himself does it, and that they do not send amateur lackey repairmen reeking of booze. I called again Monday, no response.
This has been a nightmare. I contacted my lawyer and the BBB.
more