With the recent cold weather we have experienced, my mother a senior (who is spending the winter here now) using the guest section of the house stated that she had been really cold the night before. Sure enough it was quite cool in her bedroom, I checked the thermostat and it was set properly, but the heater was not kicking on. The unit for that wing was down and in need of a repair. I called a local company that had serviced that unit a year or so previously (for the A/C portion) and they indicated they would be out later that day - a Friday. As the time came for the appointment, I got a call from them to inform me that their tech would not be able to make it. The earliest would be the following Monday morning. I accepted this as the house has two other units warming the house, plus I had put a space heater in her bedroom.
When Monday rolled around, their tech showed up, proceeded to analyze the unit and indicated that it would cost $1800 to repair but would not recommend it since the unit was at least 12 years old and thus will give me a quote for replacing it - for $6000. I was not prepared for this diagnosis for which he charged a fee of $90.
I then called Forrest Anderson for a second opinion. I was informed that it would not be any problem having a tech out that afternoon. Technician Kelly Bridge was on time and analyzed the unit, came back down from the attic in about thirty minutes and told me it was repaired. He indicated that a wire had come loose on the heater and that was why it was not coming on, and by the way someone had serviced the unit previously and had not put all the screws back in on the heater cover and that may have been why the cable had come loose. I was very happy to pay him $150 for the repair.
Kelly, you have won over a new customer for any future work on our home.