The Hidden truth about “FREE” services
It boggles my mind that people think they are actually getting a quality deal when they are given something for “free”.
Think about it…
Any service company that is promising you a ‘Free Cleaning’ with the purchase of their fuel is not saving you money. You need to keep in mind that, you really do “get what you pay for”.
“Free” means, you are guaranteed to be locked in to buying their fuel for at least a year. Their inflated fuel prices guarantee that they are getting their money back from that “free” cleaning.
“Free” means, when you sign their contract promising free parts coverage, you are receiving a “promise” to receive “free parts” that rarely break down. 30 years of experience and having been contracted to 3 of the large fuel suppliers in HRM has proved exactly that.
“Free” means, you get exactly what you pay for. Nothing!
So many people fall for the “free furnace cleaning” when you purchase *their* home heating oil.
The thing is….There is no obligation for them to do a good job when you are getting their service for free. They show up, change the nozzle, change the filter and are in and out in a short amount of time because their intent is to complete as many as possible in one day verses doing a quality job at every household.
I have been called to many homes over the last year or so, where the homeowner swears they had their maintenance done. “It was free from my fuel supplier”. Well, that furnace/boiler is now plugged with soot. Why?? Because this is the service you receive for free. Now, you are paying me to do the job correctly. Was it really free…..??
A professional cleaning and inspection takes ONE HOUR at the very least.
There are many aspects to a furnace/boiler cleaning, from taking it a part to afford for a proper cleaning, to changing the nozzle, filter, testing for proper set up and efficiency with a proper combustion analysis. It is just NOT possible, to do a proper cleaning/inspection on your system in a short amount of time. Their goal, it seems, is to get as many free cleanings as possible completed in one day, rather than doing a quality and thorough job.
In the long run, it’s going to cost you more, whether it’s from corrosion, or improper set up, or emergency break downs in the winter months. Things go unnoticed when maintenance is done quickly causing you to make panic decisions during the freezing cold months without having the time to decide the proper course of action.
Remember, all mechanical systems need proper maintenance in order to continue being reliable. Your car for instance…if you don’t do the necessary oil changes and repairs on a regular basis, it won’t be reliable for very long. The same goes for your heating system.
