The cool autumn weather has arrived and, for many people, now is the ideal time to have your furnace serviced or upgraded before the busy winter season starts.
In a recent press release, the Better Business Bureau serving British Columbia and the Yukon warns the public to be cautious about misleading heating contractors that may use scare tactics to convince homeowners to buy a new furnace or authorize expensive, but unneeded, repairs to their existing heating system.
Last fall, the BBB received complaints about a heating contractor making unsolicited phone calls offering inexpensive, even free, cleaning services, only to show up with inadequate equipment and recommendations for expensive and unnecessary upgrades.
BBB has also received reports in the past of fraudulent contractors soliciting door-to-door and attempting to frighten consumers into purchasing a new heating system with warnings that their current system was leaking dangerous gases that could explode or poison those inside the house.
Last year, BBB received 61 complaints against businesses in this industry. So far this year, BBB has already received 71 complaints.
Before you choose a heating contractor, BBB urges you to consider the following tips:
First, find helpful information like owners, company addresses, and customer service information by visiting the company's reliability report at www.mbc.bbb.org.
Then, hire heating contractors that:
are licensed with the BC Safety Authority (call 1-866-566-7233);
are or employ certified gas fitters;
are bonded and insured for liability and property damage;
can provide you a copy of the gas permit authorizing the company to work on your heating system;
offer warranties that cover equipment, materials and labour;
offer maintenance and service after installation and after warranties have expired;
provide customer references.
Get at least two estimates for any work and all bids should be in writing and provide a full description of the services to be provided and the materials to be used.
As well, you should compare more than just cost. Check the size and rated efficiency of the equipment each contractor recommends. Ask each contractor how they arrived at recommending a particular sized system. Check the warranty offered and make certain you understand it.
Finally, BBB urges consumers to report misleading door-to-door sales practices and notes direct sales contracts can be cancelled for any reason within 10 days of the consumer receiving a copy of the contract.
Consumer Protection BC can help with allegations of misleading door-to-door sales practices. For complaints, call 1-888-564-9963 or go to www.consumerprotectionbc.ca.
