Willingly Give Him a Five Star Rating
Oh if I wasn't ever-thankful the wind finally stopped blowing last night because I wasn't sure if I'd be able to take one more day of that searing cold. As soon as I arrived at office, I sent a text to the tenant living in the house that didn't have heat last night, asking if it would be OK if I took the key and stopped over since he'd decided to stay with a relative. He finally text me back saying it would be fine with him, so I grabbed the key and headed over. While walking up its front steps, I had a horrible fear it would be below zero inside and the water pipes frozen. Thank Heaven it was still 42 degrees within, so I went down the basement to see if I could get it running. It would start going thru its cycle, but then stop, and each time I tried it, the same thing would happen.
When I returned to office, I called the HVAC person who was out there yesterday, and he said it was working when he left, but likely didn't wait to see if it would continue on with its cycle because it wasn't heating while I was there. He agreed to go and look at it shortly after the hour of eight, so I ran over to his shop and handed him the key.
About an hour later he called saying he couldn't find the parts he needed, and the soonest they'd be here, would be three days out. His only suggestion was to call another HVAC company who'd possibly have parts for it in stock. I didn't know anyone I could call so I asked him for a company he'd trust if he were me. He told me to call Air Care here in Mason City, so after hanging up, I immediately called them. Unfortunately they didn't answer, but their answering machine message, mentioned that if it were an emergency, to call a cell phone number which was given. I hurriedly called the cell number, but it also flipped to an answering machine. I left a message, and since I was getting more nervous by the hour, I began texting a message to that number. Before I was finished, I received a callback from that same number, and the person I'd left a message for, just happened to be the new owner of Air Care whose name is Ryan Henderson.
I told him what was going on, and luckily he said he'd have time to meet me at the home in about an hour which was a great relief. Before hanging up, he said he'd call my cell phone, just to make sure he had the right address and I being able to meet him there. He was almost like clockwork with his call almost exactly that hour later, so off I headed.
He was already waiting in his truck when I pulled up, so together we went to see what the "yell" was the matter with that furnace. As Gott as my witness, it didn't take him five minutes to figure out what was wrong with it, which was the simplest fix. As chance would have it, that plastic reservoir that's next to the furnace which traps the water and then sends it down a hose going to the drain, happened to be plugged, so all he had to do was take it out, wash it with hot water, and then re-install it. It took him no longer than 20 minutes to get it fixed and put back together. You can't imagine how much I thanked him for saving the day because I was afraid it was going to be an all-day job and possibly having to wait a week for parts. I told him truthfully I would faithfully use him in the future, along with referring him anyone needing HVAC work done. I was exceptionally impressed with his work, as well as his honesty.
We all know how more of our tradespeople are taking advantage of situations just like today, and saying a new furnace was needed, or bill-out bloated bills for hours not worked. I don't know if I ever told you about my "Model 99" furnace in the basement of my office, and if I didn't, I'll now share my experiences with you.
Back when I moved Holtz Realty's office over to 213 N. Federal, I was in need of someone to hook up a new furnace I'd already purchased. I had it positioned where it was supposed to be, all the heat and cold air return ducts were already installed, and all I was needing to have done, was to get the last of the trunks installed in the basement, run the exhaust vent out one of the chimneys, and run a gas line from the outside to that furnace which was a long stretch.
领英推荐
The first HVAC company I hired, was taking far too long to get that furnace hooked up, and whenever a worker would arrive, he'd be there less than an hour and then leave. Well, it was approaching mid-October and that furnace was still not running, and after there being a freezing night before, I found my office far too cold for comfort, so I called the owner of the company and insisted he get it hooked up. Days went by and still nothing, so after another cold night, I called another HVAC company, and the owner was more than willing to finish the job.
The worker showed up on time and began working at a snail's pace, so more days went by. The gas lines were finally installed, along with finishing the main trunk work, and the exhaust vent going out the chimney. Around the first of November I finally had heat.
What caused me to see red, was my getting a bill from the first HVAC company for their work, and then a second from the the company that finished it. I still have those bills which I should possibly frame because the combination of hours spent by those two companies totaled a whopping 99 hours. Yes, I rightly felt as though I was taken to the cleaners. In both check-filled envelopes going to those two companies, I inserted a shaming letter which was well deserved by the both of them. To this day, I wouldn't think of calling them if they were the last HVAC companies left in this town.
Having used Ryan Henderson of Air Care just once last year when a furnace went out, and then again today, I would highly recommend anyone in need of a knowledgable and fair priced HVAC technician, to call Air Care and ask for Ryan Henderson because I'd freely and willingly give him a five star rating.
Tonight's One-liner is: I'm easily satisfied with the very best.