Okay, so this will be the only time you ever hear me grumble about getting screwed by a service industry, and I want to preface this post with a disclaimer: I think my grumble is warranted.

So yesterday with my wife and step-daughter both sick and an early October cold-snap on the wind, it was 60 degrees in my house in the morning. Normally, I would not have batted an eye (October 4 is too early for heat), but I took pity on the sickies and told my wife she could turn on the furnace to take the chill out of the air. The furnace didn't come on. Now, I know my way around appliances and HVAC better than 99% of people, having worked in the appliance repair industry for years, and it took me all of 5 minutes to diagnose the problem: my York Diamond 80 single-stage furnace has an inducer/exhaust draft fan that is supposed to come on before the electric ignitor can get power. The power faults go like this: Thermostat-->inducer fan-->vacuum-actuated sensor -->ignitor-->gas valve. Termostat was clicking audibly but the fan wasn't working, so I pulled off the spade connector to check it out and discovered a loose connection between the spade and the run windings on the teenly little 1/100th-horse electric motor that spins the squirrel cage fan.

TO THE INTERNETS!

I found the part quickly, but all the online parts houses need 3 - 5 business days to ship the part to me. Hmm. Not adequate. So I pull up a list of local parts houses, figuring I can just place the order and go pick it up at a window. I call 3 or 4 places and get the same story from all of them: "Sorry, we don't sell to the public. If you don't have a business license and a tax number (and certifications, depending on if the part is for an EPA-controlled sealed system) we can't sell to you".

So they won't sell me the part so I can fix it myself. I ask for prices anyway. $429 for the OEM, $150 for a universal replacement guaranteed to fit. So I gotta call a service. I HATE having to do that.

I call around 4 or 5 places. Every single one gives me the same load of BS: "We can't diagnose over the phone. We can't just sell you the part. We can't quote parts prices over the phone. You'll need to make an appointment and have the tech fix it." UGH. So I can't do a total-cost comparison because I have to pay for the service call whether I have 1 guy come out or 5 guys come out and NONE of them will estimate me a price for the part even though I have the goddamn part number.

Long story short -- $79 to tell me what I already knew. $585 for the $150 replacement part. $664 all-in just to fix the goddamn furnace.

So, for future reference -- does anyone know a way (other than maintaining a business license and a tax ID I'll rarely use) to buy parts from parts houses so I can fix my ish myself??? I never have this problem with appliance parts -- I order from appliancepartspros without issue, and even Sears will sell you an evaporator fan motor or water valve if they have one in stock. But this HVAC industry is a racket. Any advice would be most welcomed. Thanks!

Bump

I suggest making good friends with the secretary at work. She will have the business licenses (and everything else) for your company on file and you can borrow them to make purchases.
Either that, or befriend the head maintenance guy at work. Thats how I get my copper wire and other electrical parts on the cheap.

They aren't amazing solutions, but by networking with them enough and preforming the occasional favor or good will for no reason what-so-ever (a case of beer or a big can of Planters dry roasted peanuts), you can hold good rapport and possibly get a favor later on.

That reminds me, I owe the accounts payable chick at work a can of Planters mixed nuts for expediting my expense check this month...

I wonder if you're dealing with something local in terms of not being able to buy parts. I have bought fan motors at two parts places, capicitors at three or four others - if you have $$$ they will sell. I couldn't buy a pre-charged condensing unit, but I think technically the EPA considers a package unit to be a big a$$ window unit and I could even buy one of those. Maybe there are state laws getting in your way? Either that, your you just haven't found the right parts house yet...

Heath

Encryptshun wrote:Okay, so this will be the only time you ever hear me grumble about getting screwed by a service industry, and I want to preface this post with a disclaimer: I think my grumble is warranted.

So yesterday with my wife and step-daughter both sick and an early October cold-snap on the wind, it was 60 degrees in my house in the morning. Normally, I would not have batted an eye (October 4 is too early for heat), but I took pity on the sickies and told my wife she could turn on the furnace to take the chill out of the air. The furnace didn't come on. Now, I know my way around appliances and HVAC better than 99% of people, having worked in the appliance repair industry for years, and it took me all of 5 minutes to diagnose the problem: my York Diamond 80 single-stage furnace has an inducer/exhaust draft fan that is supposed to come on before the electric ignitor can get power. The power faults go like this: Thermostat-->inducer fan-->vacuum-actuated sensor -->ignitor-->gas valve. Termostat was clicking audibly but the fan wasn't working, so I pulled off the spade connector to check it out and discovered a loose connection between the spade and the run windings on the teenly little 1/100th-horse electric motor that spins the squirrel cage fan.

TO THE INTERNETS!

I found the part quickly, but all the online parts houses need 3 - 5 business days to ship the part to me. Hmm. Not adequate. So I pull up a list of local parts houses, figuring I can just place the order and go pick it up at a window. I call 3 or 4 places and get the same story from all of them: "Sorry, we don't sell to the public. If you don't have a business license and a tax number (and certifications, depending on if the part is for an EPA-controlled sealed system) we can't sell to you".

So they won't sell me the part so I can fix it myself. I ask for prices anyway. $429 for the OEM, $150 for a universal replacement guaranteed to fit. So I gotta call a service. I HATE having to do that.

I call around 4 or 5 places. Every single one gives me the same load of BS: "We can't diagnose over the phone. We can't just sell you the part. We can't quote parts prices over the phone. You'll need to make an appointment and have the tech fix it." UGH. So I can't do a total-cost comparison because I have to pay for the service call whether I have 1 guy come out or 5 guys come out and NONE of them will estimate me a price for the part even though I have the goddamn part number.

Long story short -- $79 to tell me what I already knew. $585 for the $150 replacement part. $664 all-in just to fix the goddamn furnace.

So, for future reference -- does anyone know a way (other than maintaining a business license and a tax ID I'll rarely use) to buy parts from parts houses so I can fix my ish myself??? I never have this problem with appliance parts -- I order from appliancepartspros without issue, and even Sears will sell you an evaporator fan motor or water valve if they have one in stock. But this HVAC industry is a racket. Any advice would be most welcomed. Thanks!

My blower motor quit on one of the 100 degree days we had this past summer. The A/C guy was busy so I called here

Quality Electric Motor Service Inc - (732) 257-6655
396 State Route 18, East Brunswick, NJ 08816

They told be to bring it over. I disconnected a bunch of wires. Wrote everything down. Removed 4 screws holding in the blower assembly and motor and slid it out. Carried it out & put it in the trunk of my G. Drove over there. They told me to come back in 1 1/2 hours.
Went for Pizza and returned. Brand new motor and blower wheel. Everything nice and clean.
Reinstalled with no problem and had air conditioning again. Heat is working now also. Motor has multiple windings for different speeds for A/C and heat.
Total was around $300.00 for a 3/4 hp motor. Saved the cost of a A/C Service call.

Telcoman

I know any HVAC suppliers in my area require you to show your trade licences (gas fitters for anything relating to gas, refrig/res.a/c for that stuff, odp to buy refrigerant) and I would imagine it would be the same there.

HVAC Companies charge what they do because these licences are expensive and time consuming to get, and are also expensive to maintain. Tools and equiptment used in the trade are also expensive and then there is insurance and vehicle costs. Costs to keep the shop and employees too... They aren't ripping you off, that is what they need to charge.

Its not like their guys are making tonnes and tonnes of money either.

While you may be smarter and have more knowledge than 99% of all other homeowners out there... they don't know you. Sure, a furnace is very basic, but still, they can't just go on your word if they don't know you.

I found Grainger carries a lot of HVAC parts in stock. They are mostly generic in nature though. I agree with you about the bs run around they give you @ local places. I understand their point of not diagnosing over the phone for free. But you should at least be able to give them monies for parts. If you are wrong then you are the one out not them. Plus you would end up calling the man any way if you couldn't figure it out and be out more money.

A few winters ago I had a similar experience. After the air conditioner evap drain clogged and filled the furnace with water I had to replace both main boards and the ignitor. Played a little hell getting parts. Luckily it wasn't too cold out and I could wait for the internets order to get the parts.