A couple of days ago, I was disappointed to find that my heat pump was not cooling. A little checking determined the main circuit breaker for the unit had tripped. "No problem, I'll just reset it"- - - - -WRONG! As soon as I flipped the HVAC breaker to the "on" position, the 200 amp main breaker for the whole panel tripped! Bad juju!
Disconnecting the power supply to the condenser/compressor unit stopped the breaker tripping- - - -pretty obvious its a shorted out compressor. The unit is over 10 years old, and had been pretty much trouble free with only one previous major failure- - - -a speed control unit for the air handler blower that was replaced under warranty about 5 years ago. The contractor who installed the unit, and another one who did the warranty repair are both out of business, so I was faced with the unenviable task of finding a service tech on short notice, hopefully one who wouldn't give me the standard sales pitch "It's an old unit- - - -gotta replace the whole system"! I go to the manufacturer's website- - - -"find a dealer"- - - -three of them within about a 25 mile radius. Call the nearest one- - - -15 miles away- - - -get the usual pre-recorded voice mail "Your call is very important to us- - - -please leave a message!" 3 hours later, no call back!
Now,bear in mind- - -my wife is recovering from a stroke, and she's very sensitive to minor changes in temperature- - - -she can go from sweltering to freezing and back with a 5 degree shift in the temp of her bedroom. Got a small window air condirioning unit up and running for the first time in about 5 years - - - -thankfully, it still works! Temp stabilizes a little. Back to the phone. Dealer #2- - - -about 25 miles away- - - -a real person answers, asks some very intelligent questions, which I answer satisfactorily, including an educated guess that the compressor is shorted out. He agrees with my diagnosis! Takes down the model number and serial number of the unit- - - - -"I'll see if the warehouse has a compressor in stock and call you back"- - - - -30 minutes later- - - -"None in stock locally- - - -regional warehouse has one on the way to me- - - -it will be here tomorrow". Takes down my name, address, and phone number- - - -"I can be there tomorrow if the compressor arrives soon enough." Now this guy has just commited to purchase a VERY expensive part on the word of a potential customer's WAG about what's wrong. Somebody he's never met, nor done business with before! No mention of "Gotta make a service call for diagnosis- - - -etc." All this conversation happened yesterday. I get a call this morning- - - - -"Got the compressor- - - -be there in about an hour". I offer to meet him at the interstate and guide him in, as I live on a dead end gravel road 7 miles form the exit he needs to take. He acceptrs my offer. 3 hours after he and a helper arrive, the compressor is installed, the system is recharged, it's running right, and Mama is a happy camper! The business owner, and his assistant are both 60 years old or so, and worked their butts off to do a good, quick job. They got paid in CASH- - - -not plastic, ($2200.00 parts and labor) plus a healthy tip over the asking price. I'll be doing business with them again- - - -routine maintenance, etc. and any new system installation I might need in the future.
Oh, yeah- - - - -did I mention- - - - -Mr. Businessman and his very skilled helper are "African-American"- - - -or more accurately, just hard working real Americans who believe in doing an honest day's work- - - -the right way- - - -the first time- - - -for a fair price! It's hard to ask for more than that!
