The Diatribe

Sorry all, no pretty pictures to accompany this post, no happy words, just pure negativity and hatred for one furnace repair man. Buckle your seat belt folks because I am about to take you on a rant. Ready?

The $6,500 furnace we had installed 5 years ago by the "best in town" is not working. The thing was turning on and off intermittently and was not blowing hot air. Given that it is February in Michigan, I ran right to the phone and called the repair man. He arrived very quickly and was pleasant enough, but as he walked though the door he asked me "to describe what is going on in my own words". My own words? Whose words was I using before? Jerk!

Next he told me that he was going to "educate me about my furnace", which meant he wanted to show me the red flashing light behind a panel - never mind that once I saw the flashing light I would have to call him to repair the thing because it was a "fail to ignite". Ass.

He was down in the basement for a while, so I went to check on his progress. I am never sure if I should stand there and watch or go about my business. What do you do? Anyway, it was then that he told me there was a problem with the gas meter, not the dirty burners as he originally told me. Not to worry, he would run some diagnostic tests just to be sure, but if it was the meter I would have to call the gas company to get them out here to replace it. Well, I have dealt with the gas company and I have even dealt with the gas company concerning malfunctioning meters before and they don't just come out and replace them. I asked what could cause the gas to come through the line, as his meter said it was, but not power up the furnace. Would you like to hear his response? "Heather, I am not going to even attempt to explain it to you because it’s far to complicated". Lout.

What I should have said at this point was: Mister repair man, just because I am a woman and just because I choose to stay home and take care of my children does not mean I am an idiot, so why don't you just try. But, he was a strange man in my house and I would rather not make the 10 o'clock news, so as hard as it was I bit my tongue. At this point, I think my face was about the same color as my hair - red. I explained to him that I would need something to tell the gas company - his response was "just tell them that I was here and it needs to be replaced". Male chauvinist boob!

Well, it turns out it was not the burners, the gas meter, nor the next explanation of the gas valve, but finally it was the electronic panel, oh wait, it was actually the gas valve. So after 5 diagnoses, 3 1/2 hours and a $405 bill, we have steady hot air from an expensive 5 year old furnace. Bonehead.