Hey everyone, I bought a century-old house in the Midwest a few years back that came with a new furnace from around 2017. I had the original company (the one that installed the furnace) come out to inspect the whole HVAC system after I moved in. They said everything was good to go for the heating and central air. A month later, I noticed some condensation dripping from the furnace and air blowing out of holes around the tubes. I emailed them and included some pictures, and luckily, they sent a technician back without charging me. The technician, who was an older guy nearing retirement, just taped over the spots where the air was leaking and the water was dripping. He told me the central air part was from a different company and was a cheaper premade system that didn't have a proper drip line. Fast forward a couple of years, and I had another technician check on the dripping issue, and he said the same thing—that the condensate line was not their responsibility and suggested the whole system would need replacing eventually.
Recently, I discovered that there was indeed a drip line that got clogged and once I cleaned it out, the issue was resolved. But my question is, how could both professionals miss or ignore this apparent problem? Was it negligence, or were they trying to get me to replace everything for more business?
3 Answers
Ugh, that’s a tough one. I can see how both techs could make the same mistake, especially if they’re used to working with certain types of systems and not paying attention to other issues. But to tape it up? That seems like a severe oversight if there’s a direct fix! I’d definitely advise shopping around for a more trustworthy HVAC service next time. You're not alone in feeling frustrated—many homeowners have been in similar situations.
Yikes, sounds like a frustrating experience! It seems like both guys might have just been oblivious to the basics—or they were trying to avoid getting involved in something that wasn’t directly their work, which is pretty dodgy. Honestly, I've heard of HVAC pros hitting the bare minimum and not wanting to deal with extra work. Either way, it could be that they were trying to push you towards a bigger fix to line their pockets. If they both looked right at it and didn’t mention the drip line, that raises a lot of red flags.
Exactly! If they’re professionals, they should know to check every part of the system properly. It's always better to get a second opinion when you're feeling doubtful, especially after this experience.
Honestly, I think it’s a mix of both. They could have genuinely messed up and overlooked the clogged drip line, since HVAC guys are sometimes in and out of homes quickly and don’t catch every small detail. But there's also a chance they were being a bit lazy or were hoping you'd go for a whole system replacement. Either way, calling a different company now that you know what's up is a good move. You deserve better service!
Agreed! Get someone who will take their time and explain what’s going on. If you have another issue, don’t hesitate to ask them more questions next time.
For sure! Trust your gut and don’t hesitate to get a second opinion from someone who will actually listen to your concerns. Good luck!