Pressure Switch and Regulations

[BigWil]

Just venting here:

I have a Coleman natural gas furnace with a bad pressure switch. I was walked through a diagnostic over the phone by a qualified furnace tech, and it was confirmed bad. I'm just frustrated by the regulations here: I can't buy a pressure switch at any of the furnace supply places, because I don't have a business account. None of the local furnace repair places will sell me the switch...apparently I need to be a qualified tech to remove two hoses, two wires and two screws, replace the switch, replace the screws, wires and hoses....

Oh, and the best part...looking at 4-5 places online, price for the switch is $34. Both quotes from authorized Coleman service guys is $100 for the switch, and $99 for the service call to replace it.

Time to go place an online order.....

 

[Mike007]

First, the reason they won't sell to homeowners off the street has been beaten to death here, so I'm not going to go down that road. A quick search will bring up multiple threads.

Second, so you think $199 to have a tech bring the switch to your home and install it, and probably offer a warranty on the repair is unreasonable?????

I charge roughly $300 for that service call. Normally when it comes to pressure switches I won't have the exact one, there are hundreds, so I have to run and get the correct one.

 

[BigWil]

First, the reason they won't sell to homeowners off the street has been beaten to death here, so I'm not going to go down that road. A quick search will bring up multiple threads.

Second, so you think $199 to have a tech bring the switch to your home and install it, and probably offer a warranty on the repair is unreasonable?????

I charge roughly $300 for that service call. Normally when it comes to pressure switches I won't have the exact one, there are hundreds, so I have to run and get the correct one.

This is my issue, based on local prices:
$105 for a clean and inspection on my gas fireplace, for 1 hour of work (10 min drive one way)
$98 for a garage door tech to come out, replace a cable and the tension on the spring, 1.5 hours of work (20 min drive one way)
$100 for a farm equipment dealer to come out and do an oil change and inspection on my riding mower, 45 min work (10 min one way)
$200 for a tech to do 15 min work, and replace a $40 part

Fire place guy is licensed. Licensed farm equipment mechanic for the oil change. Properly insured garage door company. Furnace repair guy is licensed...I'm seeing a pretty big disparity in pricing locally on this one.

 

[Mike007]

This is my issue, based on local prices:
$105 for a clean and inspection on my gas fireplace, for 1 hour of work (10 min drive one way)
$98 for a garage door tech to come out, replace a cable and the tension on the spring, 1.5 hours of work (20 min drive one way)
$100 for a farm equipment dealer to come out and do an oil change and inspection on my riding mower, 45 min work (10 min one way)
$200 for a tech to do 15 min work, and replace a $40 part

Fire place guy is licensed. Licensed farm equipment mechanic for the oil change. Properly insured garage door company. Furnace repair guy is licensed...I'm seeing a pretty big disparity in pricing locally on this one.

I can't speak to what the other trades charge.

I find it highly doubtful the contractor has the part in stock unless it's fairly common. Like I said, there are hundreds of different switches.

Lets just assume they believe your diagnosis is correct. (I personally never take a customers word for a diagnosis) He has to run and get the part then run to your home and install it, do a quick check of the furnace and then fill out the invoice and collect a cheque. How much time will be invested in your call? You say you are only 10 minutes away, are they charging hourly or flat-rate?

The point I'm making, $199 to replace a PS is far from a home run. Would you like it done for cost? They are in business to make money.

 

[Thumper68]

I'm with BigWil on this one, I can't believe the prices some trades charge for a simple service.
I'm licensed, insured, bonded have a service truck with com insurance, have to keep some stock on hand just like any other trade but for some reason I can't charge $100 an hour plus mileage to do my work.

 

[Dagny]

I carry two adjustable ones on the truck. And several oem ones for the furnaces I sell.

 

[BigWil]

Mike, I'm not trying to be antagonistic here, I'm just frustrated.

I called a friend who isn't in the area who is a licensed tech. I described my issue (3 red flashes for pressure switch stuck open) and the furnace starting the cycle and shutting down before start up cycle complete. We took the following steps:

1. blew and sucked on the appropriate tubes to listen for click from switch
2. confirmed intake and exhaust were not plugged outside
3. disconnected exhaust inside furnace and verified air flow.
4. confirmed drain tubes were not obstructed
5. disconnected intake, and verified air flow.
6. removed pressure switch and tapped on it
7. adjusted screw inwards on back of switch

It works now, but it's starting to act up. I called half a dozen places, described the issue, and they all said it required a new pressure switch. They asked for the make/model/serial number. Only two of the six repair Coleman furnaces. They both stated they could order the pressure switch in, and replace it. Researching online, and getting a quote from a local wholesaler all indicate their cost is around $34-40.

Between the steep markup on the part, and the same cost for a service call with no info vs all the info, including bringing in the replacement part ahead of time, I'm frustrated. If they had told me $100 + tax to replace the switch, and no further diagnostics/repairs, I would have paid the money, no questions asked. I'm flexible for service time/day, so a tech could stop by on the way to another service call, replace the part they ordered, and carry on...easy $60 in 10 minutes, or the equivalent of $360/hr. I just don't want to pay the equivalent of $960/hr for the same 10 minutes.

 

[sourdough]

Just venting here:

I have a Coleman natural gas furnace with a bad pressure switch. I was walked through a diagnostic over the phone by a qualified furnace tech, and it was confirmed bad. I'm just frustrated by the regulations here: I can't buy a pressure switch at any of the furnace supply places, because I don't have a business account. None of the local furnace repair places will sell me the switch...apparently I need to be a qualified tech to remove two hoses, two wires and two screws, replace the switch, replace the screws, wires and hoses....

Oh, and the best part...looking at 4-5 places online, price for the switch is $34. Both quotes from authorized Coleman service guys is $100 for the switch, and $99 for the service call to replace it.

Time to go place an online order.....

Exactly.

I have no idea from your post as to what specific Coleman model furnace you have. I am assuming that the pressure switch you are referring to is the combustion air switch. One cannot jumper out that switch because the programmer/controller is smarter than you due to sequencing.

I have a 2100' triple-wide modular home with a Coleman forced-draft propane furnace (DGAA070BDTB). I have ordered online from various vendors every replacement part except the heat exchanger and the blower wheel as spare parts because I am a retired HVAC guy and can do in-home repairs on this unit, rather than calling a service company. My total cost for every replacement part I have is about $750, shipping included.

I had a minor issue with that same switch a week ago. Reset the programmer (power off, then on) and have had no further issues. Fingers crossed but I have a spare part.

The Coleman programmer should tell you by the number of flashes what the problem is. Mine was 3 flashes: combustion air switch.

Just Google the part number and you will be surprised at what you find.

 

[mygarageone]

Coleman has had pressure switch problem. For yrs , I always recommend the client have a spare one hand , when we do installs , we have the xtra swtch put inside the furnace for future .

 

[BigWil]

Coleman has had pressure switch problem. For yrs , I always recommend the client have a spare one hand , when we do installs , we have the xtra swtch put inside the furnace for future .

That makes a lot of sense. Do you walk the homeowner through replacing it on their own, or do you expect them to call you to replace it?

I can replace the brakes on my Hemi Charger, which is more complex and carries as much or more danger to the public is I screw it up, but not being able to replace a basic plug and play component like a pressure switch is frustrating. If I install it incorrectly, the furnace will fault out anyway. The odds of my furnace blowing up my house because I've replaced a pressure switch is about the same odds as it getting struck by lightning 3 times. Now, messing with burners, gas lines, etc, I do understand.

 

[Mike007]

Mike, I'm not trying to be antagonistic here, I'm just frustrated.

I understand where you are coming from. Before I went into my own business I felt the same way you do about a lot of services. You really don't see cost of overhead and what it costs to run a profitable business until you try and run one. Ive found there is typically a huge difference between what I need to charge as a business to make a profit and what the customer feels it should cost. It's just how it is.

 

[sms1974]

This is my issue, based on local prices:
$105 for a clean and inspection on my gas fireplace, for 1 hour of work (10 min drive one way)
$98 for a garage door tech to come out, replace a cable and the tension on the spring, 1.5 hours of work (20 min drive one way)
$100 for a farm equipment dealer to come out and do an oil change and inspection on my riding mower, 45 min work (10 min one way)
$200 for a tech to do 15 min work, and replace a $40 part

Fire place guy is licensed. Licensed farm equipment mechanic for the oil change. Properly insured garage door company. Furnace repair guy is licensed...I'm seeing a pretty big disparity in pricing locally on this one.

Keep in mind...

the garage door being repaired improperly will most likely NOT kill you...

the farm repair guy not changing the oil correctly most likely will NOT kill you...

your furnace not being repaired correctly CAN KILL YOU !!!!

I deal with these situations all the time, I take the responsibility for the repair and the safety of equipment after the job is done. yes you might really only have a bad switch, you might also have a bad heat exchanger, a bad combustion venter, an obstructed exhaust vent, ect. ect. ect.

a professional providing a service that may keep your family safe and warm is worth every bit of what we charge and often more...

 

[BigWil]

Based on what I've paid other professionals for work that any DIYer could do them selves if they decide to, HVAC guys in my area are taking advantage of situations where a DIYer can't get the part.

$100 is fair...$50 for a part that costs them $40, and $50 for driving out and doing 10 min worth of work.

$200 is not...$100 for the $40 part, and $100 for the work? It isn't right. And the attitude of the people answering the phone was that I have no option but to pay them for it, so they can charge what they want.

 

[7thDimension]

Can you order the part online? eBay?

 

[BigWil]

Keep in mind...

the garage door being repaired improperly will most likely NOT kill you...

the farm repair guy not changing the oil correctly most likely will NOT kill you...

your furnace not being repaired correctly CAN KILL YOU !!!!

I deal with these situations all the time, I take the responsibility for the repair and the safety of equipment after the job is done. yes you might really only have a bad switch, you might also have a bad heat exchanger, a bad combustion venter, an obstructed exhaust vent, ect. ect. ect.

a professional providing a service that may keep your family safe and warm is worth every bit of what we charge and often more...

My natural gas fireplace can kill me just as quickly as my furnace, and that service call was a heck of a lot cheaper...oh, and that included a new flame sensor.

The $199 was just to show up. It didn't include cleaning everything, dismantling the entire furnace to check to make sure nothing else was wrong. It was to come in and replace the pressure switch, based on my doing the diagnostics over the phone with a certified HVAC guy.

My mechanic takes responsibility for the safety of my vehicle after an oil change, and 50 point inspection, and that costs me $60.

 

[BigWil]

Can you order the part online? eBay?

Yes. I originally didn't want to wait that long for the shipping, but the furnace is still running, so I can wait. If it dies, running my natural gas fireplace and running the furnace fan does a pretty decent job of heating the house.

 

[tdkkart]

It's pretty much a given that businesses have to mark up their costs by 2-300% in order to make a profit.
If a part costs them $50 they'll sell it for $150 in order to cover the costs of the person in the office that orders that part, warehouses that part and keeps track of where it's at. The owner can't do all that himself if wants to get anything else done.

If they pay their tech $30, they have to charge $90-100/hr to cover the costs to keep that tech on the payroll. That covers insurance, taxes, workers comp, the vehicle he works out of. It also has to cover the hours he's sitting around the shop waiting for call. This time of year it's probably not alot, closer to spring, and before A/C season it's probably a lot.

I truly feel sorry for the mass quantities of mental midgets we are raising these days that can't unwrap a stick of chewing gum without a professional to help them.

I make decent money, but I'd be in real trouble if I had to pay to do the things that I do every day myself, that others simply can't do. This morning I changed a leaky water shut-off valve, yesterday I changed a leaky oil pan gasket. This afternoon I have to go buy parts to fix a broken faucet at my daughter's on T-giving day, and buy her some more tools so she can do it herself next time.

 

[Mike007]

Based on what I've paid other professionals for work that any DIYer could do them selves if they decide to, HVAC guys in my area are taking advantage of situations where a DIYer can't get the part.

$100 is fair...$50 for a part that costs them $40, and $50 for driving out and doing 10 min worth of work.

$200 is not...$100 for the $40 part, and $100 for the work? It isn't right. And the attitude of the people answering the phone was that I have no option but to pay them for it, so they can charge what they want.

I'm not trying to be an A--hole, but you have absolutely no idea what it cost to run a service business. If I ran my business based on your post, I would have been out of business within a year.

 

[tdkkart]

If I ran my business based on your post, I would have been out of business within a year.

Probably less than a week......
Again, it just shows that the average person doesn't have a clue what it costs to exist, not only as a business, but even as a private person.

 

[Mike007]

I use a nationally used flat-rate system. The way my pricing is set up generally falls into the middle of the pricing range. Just looked at my book, service call and replacement of a non-stock pressure switch lists for $365 total.

 

[sms1974]

My natural gas fireplace can kill me just as quickly as my furnace, and that service call was a heck of a lot cheaper...oh, and that included a new flame sensor.

The $199 was just to show up. It didn't include cleaning everything, dismantling the entire furnace to check to make sure nothing else was wrong. It was to come in and replace the pressure switch, based on my doing the diagnostics over the phone with a certified HVAC guy.

My mechanic takes responsibility for the safety of my vehicle after an oil change, and 50 point inspection, and that costs me $60.

I'm truly sorry you feel as your being taken advantage of... You strike me as the same guy that has a fit when given an estimate for a new furnace... If I gave you an installed price of 3000 dollars you would be the guy that balks and says I can buy that online for a thousand dollars... And yep maybe you could but your not paying 2 techs to install it or paying for the trucks and gas that gets them to your house. How about the cost of the sheet metal equipment to fabricate the plenum to connect it to your duct system, how about the building that the equipment is in or the electric to turn on the lights so my tech can see what he's doing.

I guess my question is what do you do for a living??? What do you earn for a completed job? What is your responsibility for the completed job afterwards?

I have zero shame in the prices I charge or the amount I mark up parts...

 

[Thumper68]

no offense to the hvac guys here but all i'm seeing is a bunch of guys trying to justify big $$ when the OP was just upset that he had to go to a hvac company to get a part since the local suppliers will only sell to the hvac guys.

I used to have this issue as well (when a furnace or boiler is down and it's cold out you can't wait for the part) So I would just walk in with the part number and ask for one and if they balked I would tell them it was for some obscure project I was working on, a home made hot water pressure washer etc..

Funny thing I had a class B boiler license and they still wouldn't sell to me.

 

[mygarageone]

That makes a lot of sense. Do you walk the homeowner through replacing it on their own, or do you expect them to call you to replace it?

I can replace the brakes on my Hemi Charger, which is more complex and carries as much or more danger to the public is I screw it up, but not being able to replace a basic plug and play component like a pressure switch is frustrating. If I install it incorrectly, the furnace will fault out anyway. The odds of my furnace blowing up my house because I've replaced a pressure switch is about the same odds as it getting struck by lightning 3 times. Now, messing with burners, gas lines, etc, I do understand.

The xtra switch is there for whom ever , it's A very straight forward change out .
You've have to be pretty slow to not be able to change it out.
I also am a one man shop now days and hate after hrs service calls , so I do some tech info on the phone to get my client through a ruff spot. Then follow up the next day .

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

The xtra switch is there for whom ever , it's A very straight forward change out .
You've have to be pretty slow to not be able to change it out.
I also am a one man shop now days and hate after hrs service calls , so I do some tech info on the phone to get my client through a ruff spot. Then follow up the next day .

I love after hrs work,It gets me away from the wife!

 

[mygarageone]

I love after hrs work,It gets me away from the wife!

Not going there .

 

[TheEquineFencer]

Look up CC Dickson here in the USA and see if they will sell and ship to you.

 

[404]

Yes. I originally didn't want to wait that long for the shipping, but the furnace is still running, so I can wait. If it dies, running my natural gas fireplace and running the furnace fan does a pretty decent job of heating the house.

The reason they will not sell the switch locally is to protect the profits of the service call. Maybe the service call also gives a chance to push duct cleaning etc.

 

[sourdough]

I'm truly sorry you feel as your being taken advantage of... You strike me as the same guy that has a fit when given an estimate for a new furnace... If I gave you an installed price of 3000 dollars you would be the guy that balks and says I can buy that online for a thousand dollars... And yep maybe you could but your not paying 2 techs to install it or paying for the trucks and gas that gets them to your house. How about the cost of the sheet metal equipment to fabricate the plenum to connect it to your duct system, how about the building that the equipment is in or the electric to turn on the lights so my tech can see what he's doing.

I guess my question is what do you do for a living??? What do you earn for a completed job? What is your responsibility for the completed job afterwards?

I have zero shame in the prices I charge or the amount I mark up parts...

As a previous hvac/controls guy for a large hospital (now retired) after 35+ years of service, I can fully understand the OP's position as well as all of you supposed contractors (real or not).

The contractors that have responded, for the most part, take the position that a homeowner has zero knowledge insofar as any mechanical or troubleshooting. You might want to back off from your hoity-toity postion.

I think your heads are so swelled that you can't make it through a 3'-0" door.

I can understand that a contractor has to have a substantial markup on parts and services to make up for overhead. I have no problem with that, but when a contractor states that a homeowner is a ditz or negligible when trying to diagnose their furnace problem, especially in this case when the controller emits certain flashes indicating the EXACT problem, that's over the top.

That's why I have every replacement part for my Coleman downdraft furnace except for the blower wheel and the heat exchanger at a total cost of <$800.

I don't have to rely on you "professionals" to replace a part that you have to order and charge me 2 service calls either at flat rate or more plus a huge markup on parts.

The nice part is when the all-knowing Coleman furnace controller lets you know what the problem is and won't let you go further until you correct the problem. And I have a spare for that controller too.

Is that easy or what? Just have to order spare parts on line.

Whoda thunk it?

Have a good night.

Jim

 

[Badattitude]

My mechanic takes responsibility for the safety of my vehicle after an oil change, and 50 point inspection, and that costs me $60.

Sorry to be off topic, but poor analogy...

You paid $60 for an oil change, the MPVI was a freebie and on the house and tech performing that inspection. If you paid for a safety inspection, I'd accept responsibility...within reason!...for your vehicles road worthiness. If it's a freebie...you get what you pay for.

The intent of the MPVI is nothing more than a marketing tool that the manufacturers, dealers, shops, chain stores, etc use to generate work. For all intents and purposes, it does what it's intended for...to inspect for any safety related concerns plus any other needed repairs, but it is not an inclusive bonafide guarantee of your vehicles safety.

 

[bigredmf]

At my old house I installed a Coleman Evcon furnace that my farther in law a licensed plumber purchased at a wholesale house. I went through 5 switches in 15 years. There was a guy in Washington state who I bought the replacements from who I found on the internet.
These were the vacuum switches that sensed the flue draw.
In the end it was not the switches but the fact that I was to cheap to line the chimney when I removed the old furnace.
The funny thing was the Coleman was identical to the a York furnaces we had at work but only cost me $280.00.

Then again I spent $200 on switches to save $200 on the lining.
Post a part number and if it matches I will send you the ones I have.

Red


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Mike007]

As a previous hvac/controls guy for a large hospital (now retired) after 35+ years of service, I can fully understand the OP's position as well as all of you supposed contractors (real or not).

The contractors that have responded, for the most part, take the position that a homeowner has zero knowledge insofar as any mechanical or troubleshooting. You might want to back off from your hoity-toity postion.

I think your heads are so swelled that you can't make it through a 3'-0" door.

I can understand that a contractor has to have a substantial markup on parts and services to make up for overhead. I have no problem with that, but when a contractor states that a homeowner is a ditz or negligible when trying to diagnose their furnace problem, especially in this case when the controller emits certain flashes indicating the EXACT problem, that's over the top.

That's why I have every replacement part for my Coleman downdraft furnace except for the blower wheel and the heat exchanger at a total cost of <$800.

I don't have to rely on you "professionals" to replace a part that you have to order and charge me 2 service calls either at flat rate or more plus a huge markup on parts.

The nice part is when the all-knowing Coleman furnace controller lets you know what the problem is and won't let you go further until you correct the problem. And I have a spare for that controller too.

Is that easy or what? Just have to order spare parts on line.

Whoda thunk it?

Have a good night.

Jim

Lol. I thunk Jim has never dealt with the general public before. When someone calls for service, it could be a rocket scientist on the other end or Corky. You have no idea of their qualifications. And the flashing code doesn't always indicate what the actual problem is.

A few weeks back a long time customer called, he tells me he needs a quote to install a new aquastat on his boiler. I told him I need to come look at the boiler first. He insisted he shouldn't have to pay me a diagnosis fee, he's a retired engineer and he just wants an aquastat. Long story short, against my better judgment, I did as he asked, I installed the aquastat.....And the boiler still didn't work. So I asked him if he wanted to pay a diagnostic fee now?

The guy was pretty upset, I actually felt bad for the guy. It took me 2 minutes to find and fix the problem. So he gets to pay me for an aquastat he doesn't need instead of just a service call.

I got the impression he was a little agitated with me for some reason. Did I do either one of us a favor by accepting his diagnosis?

I'd bet my customers diagnosis is correct less then 25% of the time.

 

[mygarageone]

Lol. I thunk Jim has never dealt with the general public before. When someone calls for service, it could be a rocket scientist on the other end or Corky. You have no idea of their qualifications. And the flashing code doesn't always indicate what the actual problem is.

A few weeks back a long time customer called, he tells me he needs a quote to install a new aquastat on his boiler. I told him I need to come look at the boiler first. He insisted he shouldn't have to pay me a diagnosis fee, he's a retired engineer and he just wants an aquastat. Long story short, against my better judgment, I did as he asked, I installed the aquastat.....And the boiler still didn't work. So I asked him if he wanted to pay a diagnostic fee now?

The guy was pretty upset, I actually felt bad for the guy. It took me 2 minutes to find and fix the problem. So he gets to pay me for an aquastat he doesn't need instead of just a service call.

I got the impression he was a little agitated with me for some reason. Did I do either one of us a favor by accepting his diagnosis?

I'd bet my customers diagnosis is correct less then 25% of the time.

Oh my how many times I have had to deal with the so called know it all client.
Engineers are thee worst !
I had one once tell me he had a hot water heating system , when in fact if was steam . After arguing with him for 15 minute , I finally told him to call someone else , then he says no one knows anything in this town . That did it for me.

 

[brewchief]

I can understand that a contractor has to have a substantial markup on parts and services to make up for overhead. I have no problem with that, but when a contractor states that a homeowner is a ditz or negligible when trying to diagnose their furnace problem, especially in this case when the controller emits certain flashes indicating the EXACT problem, that's over the top.

The nice part is when the all-knowing Coleman furnace controller lets you know what the problem is and won't let you go further until you correct the problem. And I have a spare for that controller too.

The control may indicate a pressure switch problem but we find that it rarely is the switch itself, more often there is an underlying issue that is causing the pressure switch to do it's job.

We gladly sell parts over the counter and will try to provide guidance to the DIYer to a point. 9 out of 10 times when somebody comes looking for a pressure switch they don't need one. We sell ignitors, induced draft motors, blower motors, etc over the counter every week, we are more cautious about circuit boards, pressure switches and other parts that may not show good or bad at the counter.

We use a flat rate system like Mike007(probably the same one) and our price would be pretty close to his. Even if the homeowner has it narrowed down to a pressure switch issue we would still go through the normal diagnostic process to verify the problem, after it is repaired we do a combustion test on it to verify safe operation(our techs are required to combustion test all gas or oil fired equipment that they touch). Total time on the call including writing up and collecting the bill will be at least 30 min and normally more like 45 min to an hour.

Even with the prices that we charge as an industry I don't know of any HVAC techs or company owners that are living a life of luxury, most eek out a 3-5% profit at the end of the year.

 

[BigWil]

I'm truly sorry you feel as your being taken advantage of... You strike me as the same guy that has a fit when given an estimate for a new furnace... If I gave you an installed price of 3000 dollars you would be the guy that balks and says I can buy that online for a thousand dollars... And yep maybe you could but your not paying 2 techs to install it or paying for the trucks and gas that gets them to your house. How about the cost of the sheet metal equipment to fabricate the plenum to connect it to your duct system, how about the building that the equipment is in or the electric to turn on the lights so my tech can see what he's doing.

I guess my question is what do you do for a living??? What do you earn for a completed job? What is your responsibility for the completed job afterwards?

I have zero shame in the prices I charge or the amount I mark up parts...

I am a police officer. Prior to getting involved in the law enforcement game, I did service work for a farm equipment manufacturer. Contrary to public opinion, I do not get paid by the ticket...I'm straight salary, no overtime. My responsibility for a "completed job" depends on the call. Essentially, if I screw up, people may die. I get yelled at, kicked, punched and spit at on a somewhat regular basis.

You guys are assuming that I simply Googled the **** out of the problem...what I said was I walked through the same diagnostic checks you do before saying, "Yes, it's a pressure switch", by a qualified tech, who is currently working as a tech.

I have had a heating system replaced...oil boiler switched out to electric, multiple zones put in, etc. Cost me $6700, and I didn't complain. I knew that it was a job for the professionals. I don't consider a pressure switch replacement a job for professionals...I could walk the average 8 year old through that job in 15 minutes.

 

[Mike007]

I don't consider a pressure switch replacement a job for professionals...I could walk the average 8 year old through that job in 15 minutes.

Heres what you are missing, whether the tech is changings a pressure switch an 8 year old could change or rebuilding your nuclear reactor, the overhead and the techs salary stays the same. The cost of doing business doesn't become lower as the task gets less technical.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

Oh my how many times I have had to deal with the so called know it all client.
Engineers are thee worst !
I had one once tell me he had a hot water heating system , when in fact if was steam . After arguing with him for 15 minute , I finally told him to call someone else , then he says no one knows anything in this town . That did it for me.

I thought I was the only person on here that complains about engineers.

 

[BigWil]

Heres what you are missing, whether the tech is changings a pressure switch an 8 year old could change or rebuilding your nuclear reactor, the overhead and the techs salary stays the same. The cost of doing business doesn't become lower as the task gets less technical.

And here we go full circle again: I can't pick up a part locally for $40, because they want to bill me $200 to do a job I can do in 10 minutes.

I have no issues hiring a professional and paying for their expertise...but paying them to do something I can do myself in 10 minutes? Not going to happen.

 

[sms1974]

Guess Bigwill and Jim have it all taken care of... People never cease to amaze me... If you think the blinks on a circut board will diagnose and tell you exactly what part to change you are incredibly ignorant of what those controls can diagnose... Yes the can give you an indication of where along the sequence of operation it has not gotten past but that's it... As stated before most of the time it indicates " pressure switch " it's not the switch. The control is telling you it didn't receive the proper voltage back to show the switch has closed or opened, yes different systems can require one or the other or some both... I honestly don't get that many calls where people will diagnose there own problem and want any more than the part it's self, it's fine if I have the part I'll sell it to them at my normal price, half of the time they call back for a service call because it didn't fix it... I've never said you weren't able to have a tech walk you through a check out on the switch, and yep you can take the hose off and **** on it and make a bad switch work. That doesn't alway mean it's the switch, in fact most of the time that will prove it is not the switch that's bad... A proper test is to check that the system is creating the specified draw or vacume or negative pressure.. That can only be done with a manometer and a tech that knows how to use it... Incorrect pressures can indicate several other possible issues anything from a bad heat exchanger to a plugged vent or even a plugged hose to the switch or a combustion venter that's not running to speed or may have a bad wheel in it...

My head is far from swollen, I have 25 years as a service tech and service manager I still see and learn new things every year. I have been called upon by major manufactures technical reps and asked to take care of problems that they can't figure out, I am very good at what I do... That doesn't make me cocky that makes me compitent in my job... I can't remember the last time I left a customers house that they were not 100% satisfied with the job and the price... Hell in the last week I had one customer give me a 20 dollar tip after giving them a 600+ dollar bill and another older lady with a 250 dollar bill gave me 2 jars of homemade apple sauce, and yes it was dam tasty...

I mean no drama or ill will to anyone but to be blanketed as a crook for making a living is offensive to me... Just as offensive as it would be for me to lump you in and say all cops are crooks and thiefs...

That's my two cents take it or leave it

 

[BigWil]

Guess Bigwill and Jim have it all taken care of... People never cease to amaze me... If you think the blinks on a circut board will diagnose and tell you exactly what part to change you are incredibly ignorant of what those controls can diagnose... Yes the can give you an indication of where along the sequence of operation it has not gotten past but that's it... As stated before most of the time it indicates " pressure switch " it's not the switch. The control is telling you it didn't receive the proper voltage back to show the switch has closed or opened, yes different systems can require one or the other or some both... I honestly don't get that many calls where people will diagnose there own problem and want any more than the part it's self, it's fine if I have the part I'll sell it to them at my normal price, half of the time they call back for a service call because it didn't fix it... I've never said you weren't able to have a tech walk you through a check out on the switch, and yep you can take the hose off and **** on it and make a bad switch work. That doesn't alway mean it's the switch, in fact most of the time that will prove it is not the switch that's bad... A proper test is to check that the system is creating the specified draw or vacume or negative pressure.. That can only be done with a manometer and a tech that knows how to use it... Incorrect pressures can indicate several other possible issues anything from a bad heat exchanger to a plugged vent or even a plugged hose to the switch or a combustion venter that's not running to speed or may have a bad wheel in it...

My head is far from swollen, I have 25 years as a service tech and service manager I still see and learn new things every year. I have been called upon by major manufactures technical reps and asked to take care of problems that they can't figure out, I am very good at what I do... That doesn't make me cocky that makes me compitent in my job... I can't remember the last time I left a customers house that they wet not 100% satisfied with the job and the price... Hell in the last week I had one customer give me a 20 dollar tip after giving them a 600+ dollar bill and another older lady with a 250 dollar bill have me 2 jars or homemade apple sauce...

I mean no drama or ill will to anyone but to be blanketed as a crook for making a living is offensive to me... Just as offensive as it would be for me to lump you in and say all cops are crooks and thiefs...

That's my two cents take it or leave it

I'm not calling HVAC businesses crooks. I'm frustrated because they won't sell me the part to replace it myself. If it doesn't fix the problem, I will pay for a tech to come in and diagnose the issue.

Online research, followed by having a tech walk me through the steps he would take, all indicate it's just the pressure switch. It could be something else, but the odds are definitely in favour of it being the switch. I also know that if I'm wrong, they wouldn't take the part back...that's not an issue either. I hate having strangers in my house, I hate waiting for service people to show up, and I hate paying people to do work I can do.

And that reminds me, I still have to mail out the $30 gift card for the Beer Store to the guy who helped me out.

 

[BigWil]

At my old house I installed a Coleman Evcon furnace that my farther in law a licensed plumber purchased at a wholesale house. I went through 5 switches in 15 years. There was a guy in Washington state who I bought the replacements from who I found on the internet.
These were the vacuum switches that sensed the flue draw.
In the end it was not the switches but the fact that I was to cheap to line the chimney when I removed the old furnace.
The funny thing was the Coleman was identical to the a York furnaces we had at work but only cost me $280.00.

Then again I spent $200 on switches to save $200 on the lining.
Post a part number and if it matches I will send you the ones I have.

Red


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

9371DO-HS-0010. It's a -1.00 pressure switch. Here is a link to an ebay auction for the one I need.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Furnace-Vacu...371DO-HS-0010-1-00-York-Coleman-/371035690571