Furnace repair

Wondering what sorts of going rates you may of paid for repairs ? and If they have to order parts and come back days later do you get charged another service call ?

We get charged about $90 for check up, pretty thorough. The furnace only runs about 3 months of the year when we are gone down south, so we only have a check up every 2-3 years. A couple of years ago he said the ignitor was bad, didn't have one with so it would of been 30 for the part and then another 75 to install it. My wife ordered one online for 17 and I installed it.

So many variables. Location. Is it a common brand & model of appliance or a lesser know one? What part failed, something common like a transformer or thermostat or something specialized like a circuit board? Is it big city factory service, or small town company?

Guy here that I would use if needed doesn't charge a second service charge to return and install a part but 2 other places i know of do.

Rick

I just had a fuel oil unit serviced earlier in the month. The repair shop charged 100 dollars for the call and came back for a bad transformer a week later. There was no service/labor charge for the second visit. Did not have to argue or plea with them.

It varies all over the place. I just charge for the repairs.

What is the problem? Maybe we can help you do it yourself.

I do most of my own maintenance, but when I can't or don't want to, the folks I use here in central Maryland charge $65/Hr plus any parts. The clock starts when the leave their shop (not far away) and ends when they leave the job site. They do good work, don't quibble over return calls, and support the local community and 4H, so they have earned my business.

A small weatherking (rehm) 90 plus LP unit 20 years old. It act like it started up then I'd hear it trying to fire again and then seemed to run. Then you could hear vent fan shut off but blower still going then it seemed like it would fire back up and run then have heat. Very intermediate. Knew something was not right and so far not too cold here. Usually if you started it up and went downstairs to look at it then it would act normal ? lol.
I called a guy he came out and tested pressures and then pulled the burners out for a look. He showed me the burner nozzles and the ends were getting burnt/rusted through in spots. Also seemed pretty sure the gas valve was not flowing enough ? Parts are to be in and tomorrow he will come back to install them. He charges $65.00 hr. but then we never got into anything about the travel time and all ? Parts are expensive for these. Not for sure what it takes but from an ebay search not much low cost parts for these come up. I think parts are to be $ 350.00 which is not much different then what other sources might add up to ?
I normally do all repairs myself and never have to pay labor. But I figured I'd call in someone with some experience and test equipment. Plus crawling around is getting harder to do each year.

Around me they have either 1. a "PLAN" where you pay so much a year and they do so much and come out for "emergency". This is much like triple A. 2. Pay going rate most of the time so much for a service call plus parts. 3. do it your self or call some hack oh they won't sell parts unless you have a heating license.

I had a Public Service maintenance contract .Those guys threw everything they could into my furnace until it had a new everything. Half the parts were not needed by nobody knew what they were doing. No cost to me.

He should have tested the valve. It's adjustable. Other than that it either works or it doesn't. That old Rheem is pretty easy to work with.

He put a gauge on the inlet side and them on the outlet side in the port on the tube going to the burners. Maybe he doesn't know they are adjustable ? He is young and they may not teach that sort of thing anymore.

At $65/hr, must be non-union.

Mike,
My youngest sister, her husband and two boys have a successful HVAC business in Knox, In. I would say BIL has been in the business since he was in HS because his dad was in the business. He is now 62 and semi retired. Works AC full time in the summer, his kids run the business in winter when he's fishing in Florida. When we are fishing in the winter, he gets calls all the time answering questions pertaining to fixing something. Usually the phone rings when he has a fish on the line.

When they sell new equipment, they usually sell a service contract with it. Once a year someone services the equipment. With a contract you get a price break on all parts and service calls. I have no clue what a service call costs now days. My sister is incharge of parts and warranty work half the year when she is not in Florida. I think one time she said some of the elaborate electronically controlled variable speed fan motors on furnaces run in the hundreds, $4-500 wholesale. Parts on the newer furnaces are ridiculous.

Hope you find a good company to work with. I would be looking for a second generation business, like my BIL's that have been in business for a very long time. If the business wasn't run right, they would be around very long. Another thing I look for in a company I do business with is how new and clean are their service trucks and how professionally dress their employees are.

If a company is good, they deserve a fair price for their work. Sometimes cheaper doesn't mean better. Look for an old company with a good reputation.

Good luck.
Geo

Just replaced my furnace this week, died Monday night. Parts and labor to fix were $920, I ended up putting in a new one for not much more. I got a deal through work. I old Trane was only 16 years old, I was told that was pretty good, I also was informed by two other furnace guys that I won't get that out of the new one. We certainly live in a throw away society.

had a new gas valve put on my boiler a couple years ago. would have done it myself but couldn't find a cross reference to the honeywell valve Part number.

anyway. i think it was about $450. %85 of that was to JUST PULL IN MY DRIVEWAY!!. i think about $150 for the part and the rest was labor so about $100/hr. he also checked and testing everything which it hadn't had for about 10 years. and this was a local and reputable guy. i do know another guy that is less $ and qualified just not the reputation.