In case you didn’t see the news report last night on Global BC at 6pm, Anne Drewa did a piece on the high pressure sales tactics employed by door to door furnace companies and we were lucky enough to be a part of the story. See if you can spot Chris our owner. The important message is never let door to door sales people into your home… do your research and make informed decisions about who to allow into your home to help with your heating and cooling needs. If you have been targeted by this scam and need help then contact us and we can help anyway we can 778-245-4822 – www.tekclimate.ca
Contact us if you’ve been affected by these sales tactics or require any information on furnace replacements
https://tekclimate.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/facebook-global-new.jpg407596Tek Climatehttps://tekclimate.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LOGO-NEW.jpgTek Climate2019-01-22 18:56:172019-01-22 19:36:45PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT REMINDER - GLOBAL BC REPORTS ON DOOR TO DOOR SALES TACTICS!!!
Right now there are multiple companies going door to door misrepresenting themselves as affiliates of Fortis BC or the B.C Environment Agency and using high-pressure sales techniques to sign customers up for monthly rental rates that mean they will pay double or triple the cost they should be paying for a furnace. Their business plan is to prey on unwitting homeowners, they knock on the door dressed in a smart suit or wearing a smart uniform with a name badge that includes the logos of Fortis and the BC government.
They say that they are in the neighbourhood doing “Free” furnace inspections, once inside your home they will normally say that the furnace is “ not to code”, “unsafe” or a “fire risk” and they need to replace it. They then use these fear tactic’s to sell them a new one at an inflated rate using high-pressure sales techniques. They say that they are waiving the upfront installation fee’s and they just need to “rent” the furnace for a short period at a low monthly cost. When you read the fine print of the contract you will see quickly that they don’t define the term of the contract although the salesperson will tell you its around 5 years. The contract in very fine print will tell you that your total cost of renting is triple what it would cost you to just buy it conventionally. They will also file a lien on your property which may affect your mortgage renewal or sale of your home, worst case it will hold up the sale as this needs to be removed in order to complete on a sale or purchase. They will not warn you of this beforehand and finding out last minute is not a good circumstance to be in. Not to mention that the value of the lien is often $15,000-$20,000.
Once they have the contract signed they want to get the furnace in as quickly as possible so that you have no time to read the contract and change your mind so they typically show up at 9 am the next morning and get the installation done as quickly as possible. These companies do not have your best interest at heart, their goal is to get you stuck in a long contract where you pay way more than you need to. They don’t explain the rental program fully and definitely don’t draw your attention to the hugely inflated cost to rent. Luckily, legally you have a 10 day cooling off period so if you are lucky enough to realize within the 10 days you can fight them to get out of the contract but by that time they have scraped your old furnace and will try and get you to buy the furnace they installed, again this price is hugely inflated and not what it would have cost you through a respectable furnace company. Our advise if you are lucky enough to have them remove the furnace is then to do research on local furnace companies and have one of them put a new furnace in for you on a conventional purchase or finance option. Get multiple quotes and make informed decisions.
Couple signs up, but Maple Ridge company comes to rescue [ Read More ]
We have been working with an amazing local couple in Maple Ridge who was recently pressured into changing their furnace by one of these companies, luckily we have been able to help them get out of their contract and the company is coming to remove the new furnace and cancel their contract. We like to help at least 1 family at Christmas and we have chosen this family this year, we will be installing a brand new furnace and thermostat free of charge for them to keep them warm this winter. We would like to thank The City of Maple Ridge for their excellent service in promptly issuing the gas permit. We would like to also thank Emco Poco HVAC for their incredibly kind donation of a new thermostat.
Bottom line and the message here is to never allow door to door salespeople into your home no matter who they say they are affiliated with, if you are looking for a furnace do your research and only invite local, honest and respectable companies into your home that you have pre-arranged appointments with. Never “Rent” your furnace no matter how many times they tell you its the best option, you will pay triple the cost of that furnace and there will be a large buy out at the end of the contract if there even is an end to the contract.
Please stay safe out there and make informed decisions.
https://tekclimate.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LOGO-NEW.jpg00Tek Climatehttps://tekclimate.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LOGO-NEW.jpgTek Climate2018-12-01 01:27:282018-12-03 21:36:42Beware of Door to Door Furnace Sales People!!!
Here are a few of the many reasons you should complete an annual furnace maintenance
SAFETY – Because Furnaces and Boilers burn fossil fuel, they can emit harmful gasses into your home like carbon monoxide, this can be very harmful to you and your family. A yearly maintenance check will ensure that your furnace is appropriately exhausting these gasses outside and there are no cracks or leaks in the heat exchanger which can be very dangerous. We also recommend installing a carbon monoxide detector close to the furnace room.
SAVINGS – If you have your furnace or boiler maintained regularly then it will continue to operate at the efficiency promised by the manufacturer, not doing this can mean that the furnace or boiler will operate below this standard meaning that its effectiveness decreases. Essentially this means that it costs you more to heat your home, so a furnace service saves you money over time.
LONGEVITY – The better you maintain your furnace or boiler, the longer it will last, we have seen it so many times over the years, a well-maintained system can outlast a neglected one. It’s just like a car, the better you look after it, the longer it will last, meaning you don’t need to replace it as often which saves you money.
CATCH REPAIRS – Because our technician is checking every part in the furnace they are in the perfect position to find small or big problems, if that check-up is regular, then it allows us to get a grasp of how the furnace is behaving. If a part looks to be wearing out or becoming noisy then we can replace the piece before it fails which is usually on the coldest day when the furnace is working the hardest, so you avoid emergency call outs or even worse not being able to get anyone because so many furnaces have broken, we will never replace a part that is not necessary and always make recommendations to you the customer and let you decide.
WARRANTY – If your furnace is still under warranty then annual furnace service is even more important, every furnace manufacturer stipulates in their manual that to maintain the warranty you must have a regular servicing for your furnace. If you don’t and a part breaks due to lack of maintenance then the manufacturer could void your warranty meaning you are on the hook for the cost, don’t risk this happening by getting your furnace maintained every year.
Tek Climate Heating and Air Conditioning
23479 132 Ave Maple Ridge, BC V4R 2S6
(778) 245-4822
https://tekclimate.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LOGO-NEW.jpg00Tek Climatehttps://tekclimate.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LOGO-NEW.jpgTek Climate2018-10-30 17:32:012018-12-01 01:34:18How Often Should A Gas Furnace Be Maintained?
SAFETY – Because Furnaces and Boilers burn fossil fuel, they can emit harmful gasses into your home like carbon monoxide, this can be very harmful to you and your family. A yearly maintenance check will ensure that your furnace is appropriately exhausting these gasses outside and there are no cracks or leaks in the heat exchanger which can be very dangerous. We also recommend installing a carbon monoxide detector close to the furnace room.
